


Sword and Sheath

by Lothlorienx



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: AtLA, Awkwardness, Azula likes messing with him, Canon Compliant, Comedy, Drama, Erotica, F/M, Fire Nation, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Slice of Life, Smut, Zuko is a dork, book 3 fire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-03-05 11:36:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 72,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13386984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lothlorienx/pseuds/Lothlorienx
Summary: Comedy, romance, smut, the occasional drama, and some slices of life. A look into Mai and Zuko's relationship from the beginning of "Book 3: Fire" all the way to Zuko's coronation as Firelord.Kudos and reviews are welcome!





	1. The Talk

The tea shop had been closed for more than an hour, but they were still in the process of cleaning up. Uncle Iroh had just finished sweeping loose tea leaves out of the kitchen, and Zuko had finished wiping down the tables and chairs. Normally, he would hate this, having to work at some dingy tea shop, serving a bunch of commoners. But tonight, he was too nervous to hate anything. He found his mind buzzing and his legs restless. He couldn't find enough to do.

"It's almost time, isn't it?" Uncle Iroh asked him, an impish grin on his face.

"Yes," Zuko replied, without turning around. "Almost time." Almost time for his date with Jin. He didn't know if he wanted to go out with the girl or not, but his Uncle had been insistent. 'Get out, live a little,' he had said. 'You have to enjoy your life more.'

So now, here he was, mere minutes away from Jin arriving outside the tea shop, expecting to have a wonderful, outstanding date with Zuko. Or Li, as she knew him. It didn't matter who she thought he was though; he was nervous either way.

Uncle Iroh sighed as he set the broom back in the closet and sat down on a chair across from Zuko. Zuko put his rag down, and sat down with him. They said nothing for a while, and Zuko was glad of that. But of course, Uncle Iroh had to ruin that for him.

"So, Zuko, are you excited?"

"I guess," Zuko said, pointedly staring at the ground.

"I'm sure you and this Jin will have much, much fun together on your date," he said, closing his eyes and smiling. Zuko said nothing. "Try to see the bright side, Zuko. You are going out for a night on the town with a very pretty girl," he said. Still, Zuko didn't cheer up.

With a heavy sigh, Iroh sat forward in his chair. Zuko was expecting his uncle to say more about enjoying his life, about letting go of negativity, about choosing his own destiny. Something like that. What he actually said took Zuko completely by surprise.

"Have you ever been given…the talk…before…?" Iroh asked him.

Zuko's head snapped up. "What?" he asked, somewhat dumbfounded. "What talk?"

"You know…the talk…" The way Uncle Iroh said it, Zuko was beginning to realize just what he was hinting at. Zuko jumped up from his seat, the chair falling to the ground.

"I'm not hearing this," Zuko said, and tried to storm into the back room. Uncle Iroh grabbed his wrist, however, and pulled him back down into the chair beside him. Great, now he was even closer to his uncle.

"Zuko, this is important. Especially if you're going out on a date…"

"I don't even want to go out on a date!" Zuko shouted. "I would rather just sit at home and do nothing! You're the one who wanted me to start dating!"

"Yes, that is true," Iroh said, nodding, "but this had to happen at some point or another. It's best that we just get it over with now."

Zuko sighed in defeat. He knew that his uncle wasn't going to let the issue drop, and he knew that he would just have to grin and bear it. Well, maybe not grin. He would scowl at the floor the whole time…but he would listen. He owed his uncle that much.

"Now Zuko…" Uncle Iroh began, not quite sure where to start. "Zuko…when a man enters his sixteenth year and he begins dating…" Uncle Iroh trailed off. That might not be the best place to start. "Zuko," he tried again, "when you are with Jin…or any girl for that matter…although I guess she should really rather be called a young woman–"

Zuko groaned and put his head in his hands.

"Listen to me," Uncle Iroh said, putting a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Zuko, at your age, many men start to feel…certain desires towards certain people. When you are out with Jin tonight, and either of you start to feel these certain desires–"

"We won't!" Zuko shouted. "Or…I won't. We don't need to be having this talk." But with another pat on the shoulder from his uncle, Zuko put his head back in his hands and started listening to his awkward, unrehearsed speech again.

"Just let me finish," Iroh told him. "Now, when you feel these certain desires…"

"You mean sex," Zuko said, sighing and leaning back against the table. "That's what this is all about. You want to talk to me about sex and how to resist it, is that it?"

"Well, sort of… But I was not actually going to tell you to resist it. Of course, if you want to that is fine with me. I have absolutely no problem with that. But I was actually going to tell you more about the actual…leading up to…the mechanics…no that's not the right word."

"Can we please get on with it?" Zuko asked. "My date's going to be here any minute." Right…his date. Anything to get out of this awkward talk.

"So, sex. It's a physical act…but it can also be very emotional. Sometimes, people have sex when they aren't ready. And sometimes, people have sex when they are ready but are married. Now I'm not saying that you have to be married…" Iroh sighed. "This isn't going well, is it?" he asked his nephew.

"Not in the slightest," Zuko said.

"But you are learning, right?" Uncle Iroh asked hopefully.

"Sure. Why not."

"Okay, right. Sex. So, normally when two people have these certain desires, they will give hints as to what they want. Sometimes it's lingering touches, or sometimes they will make suggestive comments. Rarely will they outright tell you; it's more like an invitation that you have to decipher. But the signals are always clear; a smile, a lingering touch, a long kiss. A very long kiss…"

"Uncle…" Zuko said, heat rising to his face. He felt so embarrassed that he was convinced his entire body was beet red by now.

"The point is, you must know when someone wants to…do it…with you and when someone doesn't. This is the first thing: the matter of consent. If someone says no, they mean no."

"I'm well aware of that, Uncle! I'm not stupid!"

"It has nothing to do with you being stupid. All I'm saying is that I know many men who didn't exactly…take no for an answer."

Zuko let sink in what he was saying. He looked down at the ground, suddenly feeling very sick to his stomach. He couldn't say anything to that. So he just waited in solemn, awkward silence for his uncle to continue his speech.

"I'm sure you're not like them," Uncle Iroh said to him, giving him another pat on the shoulder. He looked down at the ground, too, and continued talking to Zuko. "If you have consent down, we can begin with the next thing: mechanics."

"I take it you don't mean actually machinery," Zuko mumbled.

Uncle Iroh gave a slight chuckle and said, "No. Not machinery. I'm going to tell you about…anatomy. You see Zuko…well, I'm sure you know enough about your own body–"

"Uncle! For spirit's sake!"

"So you should know that…when a young man gets excited, they get…a certain hardness in the south…"

"Please kill me now!" Zuko whimpered, as if some great spirit would grant him that request.

"Women, on the other hand, have…a flower. A flower with petals that open up. When this flower opens up, the flower…becomes moist–"

"Please kill me!"

"But there is the matter of foreplay…" Iroh mumbled under his breath. Zuko still heard it, though. He just prayed that his Uncle wouldn't talk to him about that. This conversation was already uncomfortable. Any more and he might just jump into a volcano.

"Well, good talk!" Zuko said, jumping up out of his seat. Again, his uncle grabbed him and sat him down next to him.

"I'll make it short, how's that?" Iroh asked him.

"Why didn't you do that to begin with?" Zuko asked him. It took all his willpower not to bang his head into the table, or worse, set something on fire.

"Okay, here are the basics. Pregnancy is caused by the little death, but only when the…uh…the phallus…is inside the…petals. Proper stimulus is needed before any penetration can occur. And most importantly, both of you have to be willing and ready. If you are not ready, my nephew…well, that's a relief to me." Iroh felt like he needed a gallon of soothing tea after what he had just said, but there was none around. As soon as he got back to their apartment, he'd fix that.

"Great. Gotta go, now!" Zuko said, racing back to the kitchen. Anything…anything!…to get what his uncle had said out of his head.

"Wait!" Iroh called after him.

"What?" Zuko demanded angrily. "This better not be about…foreplay…" He whispered the word, too embarrassed to say it.

"No, no, nothing like that." His uncle pulled a comb out of his sleeve, smiling at his nephew. "Let me do your hair."

Zuko gawked. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Nope. I've even got some hair gel to make it sleek and shiny." He pulled his nephew back over to the chair. "Let's begin, shall we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I haven't been updating my stories very much. I've been busy trying to get my degree. But I wrote this entire twenty-nine chapter story about Mai and Zuko and even as I post this first chapter, the story is completely finished. So except frequent updates in this story. I will be posting at least one chapter a week.
> 
> Thank you for reading, and please feel free to like and leave a review!


	2. Awakening

Home. He was going home after three long years. He'd dreamt of this moment for so long, but he never imagined he'd feel like this. In his mind, he'd be happy, proud, with his uncle by his side as he personally delivered the Avatar to his smiling father, who would welcome him back into the Fire Nation with open arms. He'd have his honor, his pride, his throne, his country. He'd have his father's love and acceptance.

And…he'd have Mai.

He'd missed her in the years that they were gone, and seeing her again reminded him of the fondness he'd had for her, back when he was actually happy. As he'd stared out at sea, brooding over what had happened back in Ba Sing Se, and what had happened at the Agni Kai with his father, and what would happen when he finally got home, Mai had come over to him, and she had kissed him.

She'd actually kissed him. It was a real kiss, not just a quick peck on the cheek like they used to do when they were kids. It felt nice, it felt real. It felt like home, in its own unique way. If nothing else, Mai was a good reason to go home. Was she worth betraying his uncle, though?

"I didn't betray him," Zuko said aloud. No one could hear him, since he laid in bed in his room. The room was dark, the waves rocking the bed gently, but he couldn't sleep. "We could have returned together. He could have been a hero." Zuko felt tears starting to form in his eyes. Hot, angry tears. "Why didn't he? Why didn't he come with me?"

As Zuko pondered this question, rage bubbled up inside of hm. He couldn't contain it. With an angry scream, he slammed his fist into the metal wall, breathing fire. He sat straight up in bed, panting, trying to calm back down. This would eat him alive if he didn't control it.

"Just go to sleep," Zuko told himself, but he didn't move.

There was a light knocking on his door, and someone asked, "Zuko?" It was Mai, he realized after a moment.

"The door's unlocked," he told her.

As quietly as she could–which was actually pretty quietly–Mai crept into his room, closing the metal door behind her without so much as a creak or thud. Her eyes were already adjusted to the dark, so she had no problem seeing where he laid. She made her way over to the side of his bed, and sat down beside him.

"You're worried," Mai said. "You don't look good."

Zuko said nothing.

"I heard you shouting at someone," Mai said, looking at his face. She tried to read what he was feeling, but so far, all she got was a confusion. No…more like a conflict. Something inside of him wasn't right, and Mai didn't want to see him like that. She still remembered Zuko from her adolescence, when he was happy and smiling and playful. His moods had changed drastically since she'd last seen him, but she still loved him.

And she tried her best to understand him. It wasn't for her mother or father, who would sometimes mention in passing conversation that if Mai and Zuko were to marry, she would bring great honor to their family. No, it was because that once dorky kid had captured her heart, and now the angst-ridden, sullen teenager did his best to capture hers. She could see it; how he always tried to spare her from his outbursts of rage.

Best of all, Zuko saw that Mai was trying. She was trying to understand him, and she was trying to make him feel better.

He leaned into her, laying his head on her shoulder, and Mai wrapped her arms around him. She stroked his arm, and breathed deep his scent. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked him.

"No," Zuko grumbled.

Mai's hands move to his hair, winding their way through the dark locks. "You must have cut your hair sometime ago," Mai said. "It used to be longer."

"Yeah," Zuko said, remembering when he and his uncle had sliced off their hair, right before they went into the Earth Kingdom as fugitives.

"I like it this way," Mai said. "It suits you."

Zuko smiled, and Mai could feel it up against her skin. Zuko pulled away from her and then laid down flat on the bed. Mai followed him, laying down beside him. On top of the covers. She rolled over, onto her side, as if that would somehow help her see him. His face was covered with darkness, and the shadows deepened as they lay flat on the mattress.

He breathed steadily, despite the pounding of his heart. He was very aware of just how close Mai was to him, and that it was the middle of the night, and that they were alone. Mai's fingers trailed over his body, stopping on his chest. The blanket was the only thing that separated her fingers from his bare chest. The way she trailed her fingers over him, though…it sent shivers up and down his spine.

"Are you cold?" Zuko asked her suddenly.

Mai opened her eyes, unaware that she had closed them.

"Because, if you are…you could…put the covers over you," he said. Even in the dark, she could see him blushing. She trailed her fingers back up to his chest, and then his neck, and then came to rest on his cheek. She could feel the heat radiating from his skin. He was shy, but somehow he had managed to get that suggestion out into the open air.

"I'd like that," Mai said. Zuko felt her get up from the bed, and then felt the covers being pulled up and Mai slipping into the bed next to him. His heart started racing again. He put a hand on his chest, feeling it pound up against his fingertips. Mai laid her head down on the pillow next to him, breathing as steadily as she could.

She put her hand on his chest, feeling awkward about the contact. She closed her eyes, trying to put herself in a more comfortable scenario. She imagined herself throwing knives and star blades at her bedroom doors and walls, and that pride she had when she perfectly hit her mark, again and again. She imagined journeying with Azula and Ty Lee all across the Earth Kingdom, tracking the Avatar, getting to have something entertaining to look forward to when she woke up in the morning.

But she couldn't focus on that stuff. Not right now. She was focused on the dark room, the bed and the blankets, Zuko right next to her. Mai opened her eyes to see that Zuko was looking at her. When he saw her eyes, he rolled over onto his side, facing her. Mai's hand came to rest on his arm, her nails trailing down his skin. Zuko shivered again.

"So…nice night," Zuko said, trying to ease the tension but only making it more awkward for them both.

Mai didn't respond that. Zuko was slightly grateful for that, even if it did make him feel like an idiot. He sighed, taking a big, meditative breath and releasing it slowly. It made Mai's hair tickle her skin, and a small, barely-there smile crept onto her face.

"Can I stay here tonight?" Mai asked him suddenly. She didn't know where she'd gotten the courage to ask that, but it was out there now, and she couldn't take it back. Her breath caught in her throat as she waited for Zuko to respond.

"Yes. Yes. Sure. Yeah," Zuko said, wide-eyed and stunned that she had asked that. "Yeah, that'd be great," he said. He was blushing again.

Mai released her breath, and felt just how hard her heart was hammering in her chest. She moved closer to him on the mattress, close enough that their legs were brushing up against each other and their arms intertwined. When she closed her eyes, she no longer felt nervous or awkward. She felt comforted. She held Zuko's hand underneath the covers and felt him slide his free arm over her waist, pulling her closer to him.

It was nice. Sweet. Peaceful.

Zuko kissed her forehead, and her eyes snapped open. Zuko blushed again and closed his eyes, trying to pretend like he was already asleep, but Mai saw one of his eyes open a sliver. He closed it again, and took a deep breath. He counted three seconds before he released it.

Knowing that she wasn't being watching, Mai smiled to herself, trying her best not to giggle. She let the emotion pass, and then her face returned to its normal, stoic expression. She pushed her head deep into the pillow, and as the ship was lulled by the waves, she fell asleep.

xoxo

She and Zuko woke up right around the same time, both of them having been jolted awake when their ship hit a large swell. Mai moaned, rubbing her head, and Zuko grumbled, rolling over and trying to go back to sleep.

"What was that?" he asked, his voice rough and gravelly.

"Don't know," Mai replied, her voice just as rough. She laid down to go back to sleep when the ship hit another swell, lifting the boat before plummeting it back down. Mai groaned, pulling the covers tight around her body. "This has got to be the worse day of my life," she grumbled, his fists grabbing onto the pillow.

"Really?" Zuko asked.

Mai opened her eyes to see Zuko staring at her. "Well, no, I suppose not," Mai said, trying to make him feel better. She felt like a jerk. She gave him her warmest smile, which was actually not that warm, and kissed him quickly on the lips. "I liked spending the night with you. And waking up with you, even if waking up this way…is less than desirable." As if on cue, the ship rolled again.

"What time is it?" Mai asked.

"Don't know," Zuko said. "Probably around sunrise. I can feel the heat of the sun over the horizon."

Mai was about to ask him how, but remembered that firebenders had a special…connection…with the sun. So she guess that he was right. With that, she swung her feet over the bed, stretching and yawning.

"I'm gonna go get ready for the day," Mai said, her voice back to its normal, stoic tone. "See you later," she said, her hand trailing down his arm.

When Mai stepped outside Zuko's room, she saw two Fire Nation guards walking down the hallway. When they saw Mai exiting Zuko's room early in the morning, looking disheveled and still in her night clothes, Mai just knew what they thought. She searched in her pocket for a throwing star, and didn't find one. Still, she didn't need knives to get her point across. She marched straight up to them, standing as tall as she could and contorting her face in a mask of anger.

"No one will know of this," Mai said. Before the Fire Nation guard could react, Mai spied the knife in his belt, and pulled it free. She used the knife to slice off the guards' sashes, and then threw it dangerously close to one of their heads. "Understand?" Mai asked them.

The Fire Nation guards said nothing for a second, and Mai wondered if she was about to be put in her place by some one older, by a couple of strategic, military adults who thought her nothing more than a bad-tempered kid. Her face turned stony at the thought.

Then, "Understood, miss."

"Yes."

They both bowed slightly, and Mai stalked back to her own room, hoping that no one else had seen her. She personally didn't care, but if she became a local gossip…well, her mother would just die.


	3. An Awkward Breakfast

There was a storm from the East that was heading towards their ship. Explained why the swells were getting worse and worse. After Mai had washed and dressed for the new day, she went up to deck to get some fresh air and try not to get sea sick from the rolling of the ship. She moaned, leaning onto the edge, putting her face in her hand. She felt awful, and the cool, crisp winds that were smacking into her face didn't help, either.

"Are you alright, Mai?" Ty Lee asked her. "You look kinda green."

"I'm fine, Ty Lee," Mai said, not bothering to turn and look at her. "Just hate this storm."

"Yeah, me too," Ty Lee said, walking over and putting a hand on Mai's arm. "I've never felt more nauseous in my life!"

"You don't sound nauseous," Mai said, opening her eyes a sliver. Ty Lee looked just as healthy as she always did, although maybe not as perky. Maybe. She had wrapped herself up in a dark red cloak, trying to keep the chill off of her, but she still shivered.

"Don't you have any warmer clothes?" Mai asked her.

"Didn't think I needed any," Ty Lee said, leaning onto the railing with her arms crossed. "I mean, it's almost summer. Who would have thought it would get this cold?"

"Good point, I suppose," Mai said blankly.

"Anyway…are you coming inside. I hear the cook's brewing up some tea that will really help with this sea sickness, and will help with rejuvenating our spirits!"

"Great," Mai said sarcastically. "Nothing quite like having my spirit rejuvenated."

"That's the spirit!" Ty Lee said, giggling at her own pun. She clapped her hand on Mai's shoulder again, and then pulled her cloak around her tightly. "So are you coming in with me?"

"In a little bit," Mai said. "I'm gonna stay out here and see if the fresh air helps any."

"Good idea," Ty Lee said, and then went back inside. Mai was almost completely alone out on the deck, except for two crew members, a guard in full armor and the other a general in a cloak and suit.

She ignored them for a long time, not paying any attention to their talk until she heard one of them laughing. She spun her head around to see the general laughing, and she briefly wondered if it was the same guard who saw her leaving Zuko's room, and if it was, whether or not he'd said anything. Mai glared at him, her eyes as sharp and deadly as any daggers hidden away in her sleeves, but the guard merely waved back at her as innocent as ever. It wasn't him, and her secret was still kept.

Mai went back to staring out at the ocean and the approaching storm clouds, just trying to get a grip on her sickness. The guards had long since gone inside, probably for their own breakfast and morning tea.

"Hey," said Zuko, stepping up beside her and staring out at the sea. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing," Mai replied. "Yours?"

"Nothing," he replied.

The wind blew past them, and Mai felt goosebumps rise on her skin. She fought the urge to shiver, but couldn't. Zuko saw her shiver, and heard her teeth slightly chatter, and he moved closer to her. "Are you cold?" he asked her.

"No," she lied.

"Yes you are," Zuko replied, and put his hand on hers. It was so warm, radiating heat like only a firebender's hand could. Mai closed her eyes, letting Zuko's fingers curl around her palm, and she leaned into him.

"You're warm," she breathed. Before Zuko could say anything else, she kissed him quickly. When she pulled away, she could see that Zuko was slightly surprised. She gave him a smile, and leaned in again.

Before she could kiss him again, Ty Lee shouted over the rising winds, "Come on, Mai! Zuko! Breakfast is waiting!"

Zuko and Mai groaned together, the spell now broken. The both marched inside, irritated at Ty Lee's interruption. Ty Lee didn't seem to notice their agitation, as she kept smiling at them and giving them pleasant small-talk all the way to their eating room.

"About time you showed up," Azula said when she saw the two of them approach. "I've been waiting for nearly fifteen minutes."

Ty Lee sat down on a cushion right beside Azula, taking an empty cup in her hands. When she put it out, a servant filled it with piping hot tea for her, and it thawed out Ty Lee's chilled fingers. She sipped it slowly, careful not to burn her tongue, before letting out a satisfied, "Aaaah."

"Why'd you wait?" Zuko asked her. "You should have just eaten without us."

"Please, Zuko, I'm not rude. It is impolite to begin eating if your party is not here with you. You two are a part of this meal, so you will be here when we all eat."

She looked at the two of them as they sat down on the cushions, her eyes glancing back and forth between each of them. There was something different in their mannerisms…both of them…that hadn't been there the night before. They sat close to each other, and Azula caught a brief glimpse of a secretive, shared smile between the two, and Mai's hand brush up against Zuko's knee briefly under the table. Azula smiled to herself, the wheels turning in her head.

"So what are we eating?" Mai asked.

"Seasoned komodo chicken, seasoned boar-ccupine, a various assortment of vegetables swimming in broth, rice fried in soy sauce and seasoned with turmeric powder and carrots. The tea is a mixture of raw ginger, coca leaves, and spicy cinnamon, heated to perfection," the servant explained.

"Sounds good," Mai said in a stoic voice.

"Yes. Very," Azula told the servant. "You may leave."

The two servants that were in the room bowed low and walked out, not straightening their backs until they were out of the room. With the doors closing behind them, the four teenagers had the room completely to themselves. They ate in silence for a while, the quiet only interrupted by a brief clap of thunder outside.

Mai glanced at Zuko from the corner of her eye, and Azula could swear she saw Zuko blush. She smirked to herself, imagining what the two had done to lead to this new, impish behavior they had.

"Did you sleep well?" Azula suddenly asked, looking directly at Zuko.

"Yeah. Fine," Zuko replied.

"I hear you got to bed rather late last night. Was something keeping you up?" she asked him.

"Sort of," Zuko replied, picking up a bite of komodo chicken. "I've had a lot on my mind."

"Is that all?" Azula asked, leaning slightly forward.

Zuko glanced up at her, wondering what Azula was getting asked. Azula merely smiled nonchalantly and sipped her tea. He looked back down at his plate, chewing his food purposefully, not wanting to answer her.

At his silence, Azula turned to look at Ty Lee briefly, arching her brows ever-so-slightly. Ty Lee seemed to pick up on what she was doing, and giggled. Across the table, Mai looked even more unamused than before. She glanced from Azula to Ty Lee and back, clenching her jaw.

"Zuko?" Azula asked gently. "Is that all that's bothering you?"

"Yes," Zuko said. "Just that." He glared at Azula, wanting to badly to say, 'That and you.'

Azula turned to look at her friend across the table, sipping her tea before asking the same question. "And what about you, Mai? Did you sleep well?"

"I slept fine," Mai replied, her voice as calm and blank as ever, betraying none of her emotions. But inside, her heart was racing, and she could just feel the heat rising to her cheeks. She hoped that she wasn't blushing; that would just make her feel ridiculous!

"Are you sure?" Ty Lee asked, chiming into the conversation. "I heard you were up late last night, too."

"I went to check on Zuko," Mai said truthfully. "He was up late, brooding on deck, so I went to see if he was alright."

"I was not brooding," Zuko said broodingly.

"Of course not," Mai said. Even trying as best she could, the statement still sounded sarcastic.

"Was he alright?" Ty Lee asked, peering over at Zuko.

"I'm fine," Zuko replied. "What's with the sudden interrogation?" he asked the two of them.

"Interrogation?" Azula repeated. "I'm just making polite conversation, asking two close friends if they slept well. Stop reading so much into this." She hid her smirk behind her tea cup as she drank the last of its contents.

"Sure you are," Zuko said.

"But the two of you did get to sleep?" Ty Lee asked. Mai and Zuko nodded. "That's good. According to the Night Captain, the storm started rolling in sometime early this morning. He said that the sea has been choppy ever since then."

"Well, we didn't notice until only about a couple of hours ago when we got up," Mai told Ty Lee.

"We?" Azula asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Yes," Mai said, picking up her tea cup. "We both were awakened around the same time." She bit back any scathing remark she might have said, had she not have been drinking her tea. Tea always helped to drown out what she shouldn't say but wanted too.

"How do you know?" Ty Lee asked, raising a single eyebrow. A sly smile spread across her face, and then across Azula's.

"We saw each other in the hallway," Zuko said, trying not to grit his teeth.

Azula picked up on her brother's anger, and decided to let the matter die. She could always have more fun with them later on. For now, she decided just to eat her boar-ccupine without teasing them.

"Did you sleep well, Ty Lee?" Azula asked.

"Like a kitten!" Ty Lee replied. "The waves are so calming, they just have a way of lulling you to sleep…"

"That's nice," Azula said, popping a bite of meat into her mouth.

"It is nice. It's like when you're a child and your mother is gently rocking you to sleep," Ty Lee said, clasping her hands together.

That seemed to hit a sore spot for Azula. To the untrained eye, they never would have noticed. But Zuko noticed the slight narrowing of Azula's eyes, the quick side-eyed glare, the momentary clenching of her jaw. And then the expression was gone, replaced with her normal, composed demeanor.

Breakfast was finished without another word the whole time.


	4. Growing Closer Each Night

That night, Mai snuck into Zuko's room again. Without hesitation, she slipped underneath the covers with him, letting her knees brush against his and their fingers intertwine. Zuko smiled at her, running his thumb back and forth over her hand. Mai shifted closer to him in the bed, and Zuko brushed his nose up against hers.

Leaning in closer, their lips met, and Zuko's hand came up to rest on Mai's cheek, his thumb stroking across her skin. Mai hummed slightly, enjoying the feeling of him touching her. She deepened the kiss, pushing herself closer to him. Her hand rested on his hip, right above the waistband of his pants. She slid her hand upwards, feeling his bare skin, fingers slowly running over his ribs.

"Mai…" Zuko said.

"Yes…?" she asked.

Zuko didn't say anything. For a moment, he did nothing. Mai wondered what was wrong, but before she could ask, he kissed her again, his hand traveling to her hip. The silk of her night clothes were soft beneath his fingertips.

"Zuko," Mai whispered, her fingers tightening, "get on top of me."

Zuko hesitated, but did as she asked -– did as she said. Shuffling on the mattress to put Mai in the center, he rolled over on top of her, his arms on either side of her body and his knees by her hips. Mai shifted her hips on the bed, trying to relieve some of the ache, some of the need. She closed her eyes and breathed deep, smelling the richness of his scent, before exhaling slowly.

Zuko brushed his lips against her neck, his breath hot up against her skin. Her eyes fluttered open just as Zuko pulled away. His nose was against hers, rubbing against hers, his eyes open and gazing down at her in the darkness. Mai laced her fingers in his hair, and pushed his head down into another kiss.

The kiss lasted until they were both breathless. Zuko nuzzled his nose into Mai's neck, making her smile as his breath tickled her sensitive skin. Mai gripped his arms, slowly running them down his biceps to his elbows, and guided them up to her shoulders.

Pulling away, Zuko looked deep into Mai's eyes before leaning into kiss her again. He slid his hands away from her shoulders and slipped his arms around her back, and in a swift motion, rolled them both over. Now Mai laid on top of him, and Zuko stared up at her in the darkness.

Mai had gasped, not expecting to be flipped over on top of him. Zuko captured her parted lips with his teeth, gently nipped her bottom lip. Mai closed her eyes and let the raw, sensual emotion overtake her. In that one moment, she felt completely free. Free of rules and inhibitions, able to be just a normal woman, unrestrained and independent. Without thinking, she moved her hands to the waist of her robe, untying the sash around her waist and slipping it off her body.

Zuko's eyes widened as he felt the silken robe fall from her body. Mai was about to remove her last layer of clothing, her wrapped chemise that was just beneath that robe, but Zuko stopped her, grabbing her hands before it could untie the waistband.

"Don't," Zuko said. "I…I…"

He didn't know what to say. What could he say? This was by far the most romantic and passionate moment in his life, and his longing for Mai was stronger than anything he'd ever felt in his entire life… But he didn't want her to disrobe? What was wrong with him?

Mai dropped her hands, and rested them on Zuko's chest.

"I understand," she said, her voice back to its usual monotone. But the smile remained on her face as she laid down again, flat against Zuko's body.

"You do?" Zuko asked her.

"Mmhm," Mai hummed, nodding her head, her hairs brushing back and forth against Zuko's bare shoulder. "I don't really blame you," Mai said. It was then that a blush came up to her cheeks, fiery hot and probably scarlet red in color. She realized then what she was about to do…realized it in full.

As she laid there, with her head on Zuko's chest, her ear pressed up against his bare skin, listening to his heartbeat and his breathing, she wondered if she was actually ready for…that. They'd only been together for two days after a three year separation…

But still. It felt so right. So natural. Mai knew then that if he hadn't stopped her, she wouldn't have had any regrets about that night. None at all. Damn whoever might find out, damn the rumors that would spread, damn the incessant teasing she'd have to endure from Ty Lee and Azula. To have been with Zuko, to have known him so intimately…

No. She wouldn't have regretted it at all. It would have been the best night of her life.

Zuko reached up and began to stroke her hair, and Mai hummed slightly in contentment. It felt so nice, and she shut her eyes, breathing deep his scent. His fingers sank into her strands, and he was brushing through her hair, his fingers interlocked with them and pulling out the tangles that she had gotten.

"That feels nice," Mai whispered.

"I'm glad," Zuko said, a smile creeping to his face. He kissed her on the top of her head, and then lifted her face to kiss her on the cheek. His lips felt the hot blush that colored Mai's face, but he said nothing of it.

A long moment of silence passed, Zuko stroking Mai's hair, and Mai almost falling asleep.

"I'm sorry," Zuko said, breaking the spell.

"You're sorry?" Mai asked. "Why are you sorry?"

"I didn't mean to…leave you wanting…" he said quietly.

Mai laughed at that. Actually laughed. It was low and controlled, but it was genuine. "Zuko," she whispered, once she was done laughing, "you didn't leave me wanting."

"Oh," Zuko said, stiffening a bit.

"I didn't mean it like that," Mai said, her smile slipping off of her face. She rolled over, looking him directly in the eye. "I meant that I'm…somewhat glad…that you…and I…" She trailed off, not knowing how to say what she meant.

"We're not ready yet, are we?" Zuko said, staring up at the ceiling.

"No, I guess we aren't," Mai agreed, and laid her head back down on Zuko's chest, wrapping an arm around his waist and burying herself deep into the soft, cushiony sheets.

"When will we be?" Zuko asked. It wasn't really directed at Mai; it was more a thought that he'd said out-loud.

"I don't know," Mai replied. "Someday. Hopefully someday soon." She sighed, her fingers stroking his hip. "Let's get off this boat first, and then we'll see where things end up."

"I can do that," Zuko said.

They didn't speak anymore that night, but they'd laid awake for another hour, stroking each other's bodies, kissing and cuddling, and finally falling asleep together, wrapped up in each other's arms.

Sweet dreams filled both of their heads. Dreams about sex and what it would be like, what it would feel like. A nervous anticipation that played out as experience, as knowledge as to what they were doing and how to do it. Mai imagined her underneath Zuko, Zuko laying on top of her, both of them beneath the silk sheets of her old bed, kissing her legs wrapped around his waist. Zuko dreamed that Mai was on top of him, with his arms wrapped around her waist, his lips on her neck and her legs moving.

When morning arrived, Mai's thighs were slick with her desire, and Zuko was embarrassed to find that he'd come in his pants that night. He was eternally grateful that Mai said nothing of it. Still, as he was washing off, he could have sworn that she'd peeked at him and smirked.

That stayed on his mind for the rest of the trip home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments welcome!


	5. Restless

Zuko was restless, and he barely got enough sleep anymore. Thoughts of the Avatar kept him awake; thoughts of his Uncle, too. And the Earth Kingdom. He just couldn't stop questioning and second-guessing himself and all the choices he'd made.

He was back in the Fire Nation, with his father having accepted him back…

So why did he still feel so confused?

Zuko laid in bed, staring up at the dark ceiling, just thinking and thinking. He'd made the right choice. That was what he kept telling himself, all through the long nights and quiet mornings. He slept almost every other night, his exhaustion finally creeping up on him.

The palace servants began to notice his sleeplessness. Some of them attributed it to the shock of being back home and in such regal surroundings. They prescribed him a special tea that he was supposed to drink every night before he went to bed. Honestly, it helped a little bit. It made him get to sleep, and he rested well all through the night, but it couldn't stop the tormented thoughts that kept running through his mind.

One night, as he stared out the window from his bed, thinking about Ba Sing Se for who-knew-the-how-many-eth time, he tossed the covers off of himself. The cup of tea and the tea pot sat on a table on the far side of the room, untouched. The tea tasted fine, but he didn't want to drink it. Not tonight.

Getting up out of bed, he put on something more than his pajamas. Another robe and a jacket, and strode out of his bed chambers.

The hallways were almost entirely abandoned. The torches that lined the walls were burning low and dim, and the windows and archways opened up to the vast night sky outside. The curtains didn't even stir, the night was so motionless. Taking a deep breath, he walked to his left, heading to who-knew-where.

He certainly didn't know.

He just needed to get out of his bed chambers and get away from his thoughts for a little while. So he decided to go wherever his feet took him. The hallways were so familiar to him, even after three long years away from home, and yet he found himself lost twice in the vast expanse of the palace.

That shouldn't have happened, he told himself. He was still the prince, and memories of his home shouldn't have disappeared like that.

But they had.

Stifling a groan, Zuko turned to the right, towards a hallway that he knew would take him deeper into the heart of the palace. But where was he going? He still didn't know. He knew the way to Azula's room, but he didn't want to go there. He knew the way to the royal chambers of the Fire Lord and the Fire Lady and their vast suites, but he certainly didn't want to go there. He knew the way to the throne room, but he probably wouldn't be allowed in there. Not at this time at night, and with no reason to enter it.

He ended up in the library.

Because why not?

He left the heavy doors ajar, not wanting them to slam shut and wake a bunch of people up. Or alert anyone to his presence.

The library was quiet and almost as abandoned as the hallways. If it hadn't been for one person that was searching the shelves, having crawled high up on the shelves like a snail-spider, looking for some particular scroll.

"Ty Lee?" Zuko asked.

"Oh, hi, Zuko," Ty Lee said, craning her neck to look down at him. "You're up late."

"So are you," he said. "You know, you're not supposed to be climbing all over these shelves. It's a library, not a jungle gym."

"I won't tell if you don't," Ty Lee said, winking at him. Still, she made her descent, getting six feet from the floor before pushing herself off, spinning around twice in the air, and sticking the landing with a slight bow.

"I'm not gonna clap," Zuko said after a moment.

"I expected as much," Ty Lee said with a smile. "So, what brings you to the library?"

"Couldn't sleep," Zuko said. "Got a lot on my mind. You?"

"Azula kicked me out," Ty Lee replied.

Zuko gave her a questioning look. "Why were you with Azula?"

"Oh, sometimes she and I have these sorts of sleep-overs." When Zuko gave her a bewildered look, she merely shrugged. "What? She is my friend. And she likes to have company every now and then." Zuko still gave her odd looks. "Will you stop that?" Ty Lee asked. "Is it really that strange to know your sister likes me?"

"No…I guess not…" he replied.

Ty Lee spun around and started searching the library shelves again, completely ignoring Zuko. Not that he minded. He'd rather not be questioned…or even talked to. He was just in that kind of mood.

But unfortunately, "Why are you up so late? Didn't the palace servants make you that sleeping tea?"

Zuko sighed. "I didn't drink it tonight," he told her.

"Why not?" she asked.

"I got a lot on my mind."

"Well, isn't that why you drink the tea? To help you get to sleep even when you have a lot on your mind?" Ty Lee asked. "What's in that stuff anyway?"

"Not really sure," Zuko said, scratching his head. "But I think it's some kind of medicinal chamomile…or something."

Ty Lee nodded, but she wasn't actually interested in what he was saying. She was still searching the shelves for whatever it was she was looking for. She didn't have to pull out every scroll and look at it; she just read the labels. So far, nothing looked promising.

Of course, she was in the poetry section of the library, and she was looking for an actual story.

"So, what are you looking for?" Zuko asked her, walking along beside her.

"Well, Azula was telling me this story of a woman who makes a deal with a feathered dragon, but like a third of the way through the story, she got tired and turned in for the night. But I wanted to know what happened next, so she told me there was actually a written version here in the library. So after she kicked me out of her room, I came here looking for it." Ty Lee turned to Zuko then, her eyes sparkling. "You think you know where it is?" she asked.

"Maybe," Zuko replied. "Tell me more about the story. It sounds familiar, I just can't place it…"

"Well, like I said, this woman makes a deal with a dragon in exchange for some fire. But the dragon wanted her to complete these tasks before it would grant her a fire. One of the tasks involved a llama-lizard. And another task was that she had to give a part of her soul, and…well, you get the picture…"

"Yeah," Zuko said. "I get the picture."

"And another task, I think, was that she had to weave a fire-proof cloak, so she wove the cloak and then sewed it with scales from the sun-snake. You know, stuff like that…"

"Sounds like an Ancient Sun Warrior legend to me," Zuko said. "If I remember correctly, what she was telling you was the legend of the very first firebender."

"Wow," Ty Lee said, her eyes getting wide. "Really? The first firebender?"

"Yeah," Zuko said, and started walking away from her. "The story should be over in the historical legends section."

Ty Lee walked with Zuko in silence as they made their way over to it. Once in the correct section, both Zuko and Ty Lee started searching for the story, both only having a vague idea as to what it would be labeled as. Zuko pulled out a couple of scrolls, unrolled them and read the first few words before deciding that that wasn't the story, and rolled it back up and put it back on the shelf.

"Here it is!" Ty Lee said, twirling around and holding the scroll out for Zuko to see.

"Well, there you go," Zuko said. "I'll leave you to it."

"Wait!" Ty Lee said, grabbing his shoulder before he could walk away. "You said yourself you weren't going to fall back to sleep tonight."

"No I didn't."

"So why don't you sit with me? We can talk. I can read you a few verses. We can talk," Ty Lee said.

"You said talk already," Zuko said.

"Come on," Ty Lee said, giving him her best puppy-moose eyes. "It's not like you have anything else to do, anyway.

Zuko sighed, defeated. "Fine," he said.

"Great!" Ty Lee said, clapping her hands together, and dragging Zuko over to the plush cushions. They sat down at a table together, Zuko staring at the flames in the torches, Ty Lee laying the scroll out in front of her.

She could barely read in such dim lighting.

"Here," Zuko said, bending some fire in his palm and lighting the torches even brighter.

"Thanks," Ty Lee said. "I can finally see what I'm looking at. Hey, Zuko, listen to this," Ty Lee said, pulling Zuko out of his thoughts. "Tonantzin invented fire flakes."

"Neat," was all Zuko said in response.

"Yeah, it is neat," Ty Lee said. "She made them to season her food and rid disease!" She continued reading. "There's even a special tea that you can make with fire flakes."

"If there is a tea, my uncle has probably made it at some point in time," Zuko said.

They both went deathly quiet then.

Zuko hadn't mentioned his uncle to anyone since Ba Sing Se. He'd never even said the word uncle aloud. Now, it was all either of them could think about. Ty Lee didn't know how to react; she looked back at her scroll, but didn't know if she should tell him what was written. It probably wouldn't help him, anyway.

"Zuko…" Ty Lee said as gently as she could.

Zuko said nothing; he only looked away from her, down at the ground, with a scowl deepening on his face. The thought of his uncle brought up so many confusing, painful memories.

I didn't betray him, Zuko told himself, he betrayed me.

"Zuko…" Ty Lee tried again. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he snapped.

"Let's talk about something different, then, okay?" Ty Lee suggested, putting her scroll down. "How are you and Mai?"

"We're fine," he said again, but this time his voice wasn't so harsh.

"Just fine?" Ty Lee asked. "I think you're more than fine," she said, smiling and raising an eyebrow. Zuko did nothing; said nothing. But the scowl on his face slowly started to disappear. "You two were sharing a bed on the boat," Ty Lee whispered.

Zuko's eyes widened. "Who told you that?" he demanded.

"You did, just now," Ty Lee said, giving him a devious smile. "I knew it! I knew it! Azula said you two were, but I didn't believe it until now!"

Zuko's face turned bright red, and he scowled again. He glared at the ground, trying to burn a hole in the cushions with his eyes. He was almost successful, too. That is, until Ty Lee came around to the other side of the table.

"So, did you two…sleep?" she asked.

"Of course we slept," Zuko said. "It's a bed. You're supposed to sleep on it."

"Is that all–?"

"Yes!"

He got up from the table and marched away from her. "Enjoy your story," he snapped, and then he was out the doors, pushing them wide open, not caring if they made any noise. But he left the doors open.

Ty Lee sighed, saddened by his outburst, and went back to reading her story.

"Miss?" said a timid voice in the hallway.

It was one of the palace servants. Ty Lee smiled at her and got up from the table, scroll in hand.

"What is it, Miu?" Ty Lee asked.

"Princess Azula wishes for you to join her again, in her room. She says you are to come immediately," Miu said, bowing her head to Ty Lee.

"Can I take this scroll?" Ty Lee asked her, holding up the paper for her to see.

Miu didn't even look up, but she nodded and said, "It is as you wish, my lady."

"Great!" Ty Lee said, and she followed Miu back to Azula's bed chambers, where she was half-awake and waiting for Ty Lee's company.


	6. Bitter Garden

"Tonantzin's seventh task was to find a dragon egg. She took her weapons, made of obsidian and bone, and she took a small batch of mixed poisonous plants, hidden away in her pack," Azula read.

"Then what happened?" Ty Lee asked, wide-eyed and listening intently.

Azula turned to Zuko, who was barely listening and staring out the window. Mai sat opposite of him, staring out the window with him. Azula tilted her head, thinking, These two have to be the most miserable people in the Fire Nation.

"Oh, Zuzu," Azula said.

"Don't call me that," Zuko snapped, just as Azula had expected him to. At least she had his attention now.

"Do you remember what happened next? Surely you remember this story from what we'd learned as children," Azula said. She watched Zuko expectantly, waiting for him to say something.

"No," Zuko said, and went back to staring out the window.

"No?" Azula asked. "Zuko, please, you can't possibly be that forgetful."

Zuko continued to say nothing.

Azula sighed, shaking her head. "What's troubling you, Zuko?" she asked. "You have everything you could possibly want. You shouldn't be acting like this."

Zuko continued to say nothing.

Turning towards Mai, his eyes softened slightly as he looked at her. Mai turned from the window, looking back at him.

Standing up suddenly, Zuko said, "I'm going for a walk." He slammed the door behind him. After a minute, Mai stood up, too. "I'm going with him," she said, not slamming the door as she left.

Ty Lee and Azula looked at each other and chuckled.

Mai ran after Zuko in the hallway, and Zuko slowed his steps so that she could catch up. When she did, she looped her arm around his, pulling him closer towards her.

"Hey," she said, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Zuko said. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"Because you're still pretty grumpy," Mai told him.

"You're one to talk," Zuko shot back.

Mai pulled her arm away from him and crossed her arms, but she still walked with him down the hallways.

"Sorry," Zuko then said.

Mai shifted her gaze towards him, and then straight back ahead. Taking a deep sigh, she said, "You're forgiven." Slowly, she looped her arm back around him, trying to ease herself back into her somewhat-good mood.

As the couple stepped outside, Zuko sighed, the tension leaving his body. Mai smiled; she liked it when he was relaxed, not wound so tightly it felt like he was going to snap at any moment. His moods were often unpredictable, but she did her best to tolerate them. But something deep inside of her whispered that she shouldn't have to tolerate them; she shouldn't have to put up with his bursts of anger and his cold moods.

But she loved Zuko, and she knew that one day he would get over his bad moods. As they stepped into the palace gardens, Mai grabbed his arm and forcefully spun him around so that he looked at her. Zuko completely lost his anger, being replaced with surprise and confusion.

"W-what was that for?" he asked.

"Look at me," Mai told him, putting a hand to his cheek.

"I am looking at you," Zuko said.

Mai stepped closer to him, and Zuko didn't step back. Mai put her hands on his shoulders, and Zuko took both of her hands in his, but Mai pulled them out and instead wrapped her arms around him. Zuko wrapped his arms around her in turn.

Mai smiled up at him, and Zuko smiled back.

"I'm glad," Mai told him. Then, "Look closer." She moved closer to him, her lips ghosting across his ear, her breath in his hair. Her lips moved across his cheek, and their noses brushed together.

"I'm looking," Zuko said again.

Mai kissed him, and Zuko pulled her tighter against him, kissing her back as passionately as he could. Mai's hands traveled from around his back to his ribs, then between his shoulder blades. When they broke apart for air, Mai asked, "You wanna go sit down?"

"Uh," Zuko looked around, "yeah, sure."

There was almost no one else around, aside from a few people far away on the terraces of the palace and on the outskirts of the vast gardens. They walked towards a stone bench, near the turtle duck ponds, and underneath a wide expanse of maple trees. Once seated, they began kissing again.

Mai pulled him closer, one hand in his hair, running through the long, loose strands. Zuko gasped when she nipped at his lip, and tried to pull away to look at her, but Mai kept his head in place. Sighing, he closed his eyes again, enjoying their kiss. Separating, Mai pulled her hands away from him, resting her hands in her lap. Zuko was trying his best not to blush.

He looked out at the turtle ducks swimming in the pond. He took Mai's hand in his own, and squeezed it tight. Mai looked out at the turtle ducks, too, but she didn't see memories flashing before her eyes. With a sigh, she put her hand on Zuko's cheek, and turned him towards her. She kissed him again, but still she couldn't pull him out of his thoughts.

"What's wrong?" she asked him at last, sighing in defeat.

"There's something I have to do," Zuko said, and left her there sitting on the stone bench. Mai sighed and shook her head. She hoped that whatever it was that he needed to do, it would clear up his mind and make him go back to his old self.

She knew that he would never be the Zuko he was before he got his scar, but she knew that all that rage and bitterness and confusion had to go away at some point in time. She'd seen him happy and she'd seen him calm in the days that he'd been back at the palace. She'd even seen him excited since he'd returned. So what was causing him to be so bitter all the time?

If Mai knew, she would have helped him. She would have cut down all that troubled him, until he had no choice but to feel happy and calm.

Mai reached into her sleeve and pulled out a knife, spinning it absent-mindedly on her index finger. She watched the turtle ducks swimming in the pond, diving down into the water for food and swimming without a care in the world. They looked so carefree and happy that Mai was almost envious. Now she understood why Azula used to throw entire chunks of bread at them; their happiness was a mockery to palace life.

Mai threw a knife into the pond, swiping it right by the head of a swimming turtle duck. The turtle duck squawked in surprise and fear before turning on Mai, beak snapping and angrily quacking. It came up out of the pond and started biting at her toes and ankles.

"Stop that," Mai said, getting up from the bench and trying to shake it off. "Stop that! Cut it out!" She kicked her foot hard, and the turtle duck fell off of her foot, back into the water. Still angered, the turtle duck charged forward again, and Mai walked around to the other side of the pond. The turtle duck followed.

Not even bothering to stop and collect her knife, Mai ran off, away from the turtle duck pond and back into the palace terraces.

Before she left, she noticed one palace servant watching him, a slight smile on her face. Mai glared at her, and the smile disappeared immediately. Now confused and angry herself, Mai went back to her house and shut herself up in her bedroom, not caring whether or not the servant girl would be telling her friends about how a turtle duck had chased her off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments welcome!


	7. Sneak

His uncle wouldn't talk to him. Go figure. Zuko couldn't blame him for it. Not really. But at the same time, why did his uncle have to be like that? Why couldn't he have joined him back in Ba Sing Se? They could have returned together and been heroes. Iroh had never been banished from the palace, but had followed Zuko through his time of banishment out of the kindness of his heart. And now he was in prison. All thanks to him.

"No!" Zuko hissed through his teeth. "Not because of me!" He shouldn't be blaming himself, and yet he was. He blamed himself and he couldn't stop it, no matter what he told himself. It was his fault.

He buried his head in his hands, trying to ease the pounding headache that made it feel like his skull was cracking. He took deep, slow breaths, just like he'd been taught to do. Concentrate and ease your body, and the mind would follow. Or was it the other way around? He didn't know.

He returned to the Royal Palace, still thinking about his one-sided talk with his uncle. Now his uncle knew his fears and his doubts, his concern that the Avatar was still alive. And his uncle probably knew the answer.

He's selfish and cruel for not telling me, Zuko thought, and a wave of bitter guilt washed over him.

Zuko had to sneak back into the palace, since he had snuck out. Pulling the hood of his robe back a little, he looked up to the third story of the palace, and prepared himself for the climb. Swiftly, he jumped up to the ledge of the first roof, and swung himself up, his feet expertly finding the grips in the tiled roof before he leapt up to the second roof, and onto the balcony there. One more to go. He swung his feet upwards, hooking them on the balcony railings, and swung his whole body forward, hands grabbing onto the railing and swinging his feet down to the ground.

He checked around, making sure no one had seen him, and took off his cloak, folding it up and tucking it into his arm.

Only one person saw him that night, as he walked back to his room, and she only smiled and nodded at him, acknowledging him as her prince. He awkwardly waved at her, not knowing what else to do, and continued towards his bedroom.

The lanterns were still flickering when he got back to his room.

Wait! He didn't light any lanterns.

"Who's here?" he demanded, taking a fighting stance, ready to punch fire at whoever tried to sneak up on him.

"Relax, Zuko," said a voice from the shadows. "It's only me."

"Mai," Zuko said, dropping his fighting stance when he saw her walk out from the shadows and into the soft orange light. "What are you doing here?"

"I snuck in. Thought I'd surprise you," she said. "Although, it seems you surprised me. Where were you?"

"Nowhere," Zuko said, setting his cloak down on a nearby table.

"Nowhere?" Mai repeated. "I think I've been there before."

Neither of them laughed; Zuko wasn't even entirely sure it was a joke. Probably was, though.

"And let me guess," Mai said, sitting down at the table in the far side of his room, "you don't want to talk about it, either."

"I'd rather talk about what you're doing here at night," Zuko replied. He went over and sat down opposite of her, too tired to sound annoyed. Not like he was annoyed. He was just…confused? Angry? Tired?

Mai smirked at him, and reached across the table for his hand. "I was going to surprise you. I thought I could take your mind off of what had been bothering you by offering to sneak out with you…though it seems like you beat me to it." Zuko didn't even seem to hear her. Mai ran a long, sharp nail across the pad of his hand. "Or maybe, do something else with you," she said.

Zuko looked up at her. With the way she was looking at him, and the way that she was rubbing the palm of his hand, he knew what she was suggesting. He didn't even have the energy to blush or look sheepish. "I don't think I have the energy," he told her.

"Too tired?" Mai asked. "From whatever it was that you were doing?"

"Yeah," Zuko said.

"Zuko," Mai said, tightening her grip on Zuko's hand, sinking her sharp nails into his skin to wake him up, "you're not doing anything that's gonna hurt me, are you?"

"Hurt you?" Zuko asked. "How could I possibly–?"

"Zuko, your behavior is suspicious, not to mention angry. I want to know if you're...close to…ripping my heart out," Mai whispered.

"What? No, not at all," Zuko said. "It's just, ever since Ba Sing Se, I've been doubting…" He trailed off, not knowing what to say to her or how to say it.

"Zuko, the siege of Ba Sing Se was successful. And you did your part to help. Why are you second-guessing yourself? You were perfect." Mai looked at him with shining eyes, and Zuko didn't doubt that she thought that he had killed the Avatar and brought glory to his country. The way she was smiling at him…it almost hurt him.

"Mai," Zuko said, somewhat captivated by her smile, "…I'm…glad you think so."

"I know so," Mai said. "You're strong and capable. You're a fighter. You need to take some time to remind yourself that." Mai squeezed his hand again, and leaned forward. "Zuko, I want you to know something…"

He leaned forward, resting on his elbows, watching her face with an intensity that he didn't think he'd ever done before. "Yes…?" he whispered.

"When we were children, you were what made life here at the palace bearable. So many times I didn't think I'd be able to stand another day of it, with my mother and your sister and all the formalities…

"If it wasn't for you, I probably would have run away. I would have runaway and never came back and not even said goodbye…

"But since you were there… You talked to me and you played with me, and you made me forget about all my irritations. I was happy because you were in my life." Mai looked down, but she didn't hide her smile.

When Zuko said nothing, she took a deep breath, she said, "I want to return the favor. I want to make your life bearable, too. I…I like you, Zuko. Seeing you so full of rage and pain…I don't want you to feel like that."

Zuko frowned, unable to hold Mai's gaze. He looked down at her robes, at the deep, dark red illuminated by the firelight.

"I'm sorry," Zuko said. "I didn't know that I was…"

"Being such a jerk?" Mai finished for him.

Zuko cracked a smile and looked back up at her. "Yeah. Being such a jerk."

Mai's free hand stretched out on the table, and he took hold of that one, too. "I'm sorry. How can I make it up to you?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Mai said, a calm, pleasant expression on her face. "I can think of a few myself," she whispered.

"Like what?" Zuko asked.

Mai's eyes lit up with a fire of her own. She looked him up and down, quickly, before her lips curled into a small smile. "Anything…" she said, hoping he knew what she was suggesting.

Zuko knew what she was suggesting, but he wanted her to say it. So he feigned ignorance, playing with her, teasing her. His fingers trailed back and forth over her hands, and his toes twitched.

"Anything…?" Zuko asked as innocently as he could. "Maybe then, we could go on a picnic. In the late evening. Just you and me. Would you like that?" he asked her.

"Yes, I would," Mai replied. She let go of his hands and stood up, about to walk out of his room and creep her way back to her own. Before she could, Zuko caught her hand as she passed him. Mai looked down at him, and asked, "Yes?"

Without a word, Zuko pulled her, and she came falling down onto his lap. He pressed a kiss to Mai's forehead. "Does this count under anything?" Zuko whispered, pressing another kiss to her skin.

Mai nodded.

"Good," he breathed, and kissed her again.

His arm came to circle around her waist, and Mai leaned into him, capturing his lips in a kiss, her hands at the back of his neck. One of Zuko's hands trailed down her back, following her spine, dipping just below her hips before trailing back upwards. Mai gasped when she felt him nip her bottom lip, and her head fell back, a silent invitation for him to kiss her neck.

He did.

Mai closed her eyes, her breath coming out in long rasps, and her fingers closed around the collar of Zuko's shirt, giving a slight tug. Zuko hummed, his hands grabbing her harder. Mai spun around so that she faced him directly, and with that, Zuko grabbed her waist and lifted her up, laying her down on top of the table.

Mai rested her head on the lacquered wood, her long black hair free from its buns as she swept it out from under her head. Zuko was crawling up on top of her, climbing up onto the short table that he'd laid her on. He was kissing her, kissing her arms, kissing her stomach, kissing her collarbones. He let his hand slide up her outer thigh as he kissed to her lips, capturing her breath as he pressed his lips against hers. Mai tugged on the back of his shirt again, wanting to yank on it until it ripped.

Wrapping both of her hands around his waist, she slowly rolled them over so that she was on top. She looked down at him, watching as she pressed her lips to his nose, kissing the tip before traveling down to his neck. Her eyes closed as she kissed him there, feeling the fire that was racing along his veins.

Mai kissed and licked his neck, and Zuko sighed, breathing fire as he did so, illuminating the dim room briefly. As he inhaled, the flames in the lanterns rose high, reaching towards the sky and then dimming down as he exhaled.

Zuko ran his hands down Mai's back, cautiously slipping them underneath her vest. Only a thin layer of cloth separated his hands from her bare skin. He pressed his hands flat on her back, traveling up and down her spine. His fingers were tentative, carefully exploring Mai's body as far as she would allow.

She didn't stop him.

Mai kissed his neck again, drawing out the kiss and sucking on Zuko's skin, letting her tongue taste him. As Zuko exhaled, he breathed fire again. As Mai teased him and his hands roamed, Zuko's hard breath made the flames in the lanterns grow and die with each inhale and exhale. Soon, the whole room was pulsing with firelight, brightening and dimming the room in time with Zuko's breath.

By the time Mai had slipped out of her vest, and and was slipping out of her tunic, Zuko exhaled so deeply that all the candles died, leaving the two of them in complete darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are welcome!


	8. The Picnic

The sun was low in the sky, but sunset was still a few hours away. The chill of the approaching night was still far away, so their cloaks were being used as pillows as they laid their heads down. It was far better than the hard rocks that they'd of had to use if their cloaks weren't there.

"My mother used to describe it as a sword and a sheath," Mai said.

Zuko laughed. "A sword and a sheath?" he asked. "How'd that go?"

"Well, my mother was completely awkward about it, so I guess she thought if she related it to knives I'd understand it more." Mai smiled at him, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Still didn't make that talk go any smoother," she said.

"I bet," Zuko said. "I didn't get swords and sheaths. I got petals…and…phalluses…" He whispered the last word.

"Petals?" Mai asked, tilting her head to the side. "In all my life, I've never heard…it…called petals. Or a flower of any kind." She quietly chuckled and laid her head down flat against her cloak. "My mother was right, the term 'sheath' does make a lot more sense."

Zuko thought about it for a second, and then nodded. "Yeah, it kind of does." He chuckled, and slid closer to Mai on the picnic blanket. "So the sword…"

"Yeah," Mai said, hiding a nervous smile. "The sword would be the…phallus…" She whispered the word and looked up at the sky, but that didn't stop her from blushing. Zuko found it cute, and he pulled her in for a quick kiss.

"You're cute when you blush," he said, giving her another kiss.

"I try not to," Mai told him. "It might be 'ladylike,' as my mother says, but I still find it ridiculous."

"Why?" Zuko asked her.

"Because…it makes me feel like a child again," Mai told him. Zuko stroked her cheek with his thumb, feeling the heat that was still there. Her blush eventually went down, and Zuko kissed her again, hoping it would return. It didn't. She felt far too comfortable with him to be blushing at a mere kiss.

"Stop trying to make me blush again," Mai told him, propping herself up on her elbow. "It's not going to happen."

"Oh, I bet it will," Zuko said, smirking at her. "I bet I can make you blush again," he said, sitting up and leaning back on his hands. "All I have to do is say the word…" he dropped his voice to a whisper, "…phallus."

Mai giggled and turned pink, her eyes shifting down to the ground before she regained control of her expressions.

"See?" Zuko said. "I knew I could get you to blush again."

"Yeah. All you have to do is go around whispered stuff about sex," Mai replied. She sat up with him, leaning back on her hands like he did. "Sure hope you don't want me blushing in fronts of lots of people. That'd be embarrassing for both of us," she said.

"Yeah," Zuko agreed with a small, blunt laugh. "Sure would be." His eyes fixed on Mai's, and he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her down with him, laying their heads down on their balled up cloaks.

"Trying to have me here?" she asked him sarcastically.

"Sure," he snarked back at her. "No one around for miles, no one expecting us to be anywhere. Surrounded by a bunch of tall rocks. Can't see any reason not to." But he didn't make any move, just like Mai knew he wouldn't.

She closed her eyes and breathed deep, filling her lungs with the fresh air.

It was a welcome change from the days she spent in Omashu–New Ozai–where the sudden coal burning was starting to clog up the atmosphere. Back then, she'd been praying for a strong wind to carry the stench away. Just another thing that she hated about that city.

"Hey," Zuko said, "what's on your mind?"

"Omashu," Maid said.

"Do you miss it?" he asked.

"Please. I hate that city more than I hate the color orange."

Zuko laughed then. "I didn't know you hated the color orange," he said.

"Oh, I hate lots of things. Most of all, being bored. Omashu was the most boring city I'd ever had the misfortune of laying my eyes upon, must less spending over four months there," Mai told him. "It was truly awful."

"I can imagine," Zuko said. "Never seen it myself, of course."

"Trust me, you're not missing anything," Mai said. "Of course, Omashu wouldn't have been so bad if you'd been there with me."

Now it was Zuko's turn to blush.

Mai snickered when she saw Zuko's cheeks turning red. "Apparently I don't even have to get inappropriate with you to make you blush," she said. "All I have to do is tell you how bearable you make places."

"Oh, stop," he said, giving her a playful shove to the shoulder.

"Stop?" Mai asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "You didn't stop your teasing. Why should I?" she whispered, leaning to close Zuko's ear.

Zuko closed his eyes, letting his hot breath rasp against her neck, but careful not to breathe fire. The last thing he wanted was to burn her neck. He'd hate to see a scar on her skin, especially a scar like his.

"Stop thinking," Mai said, seeing that worried, pained look cross Zuko's face again. "Or at least, think about something bearable for once." Zuko's lips quirked, but he didn't smile. Mai grabbed his chin and kissed him, pushing herself into his thoughts and letting her hand stroke across his cheek.

Zuko relaxed against her, and she could feel the tension leave his body as he melded into her kiss. He put his hand on her arm, and he wanted so badly to lay her down right then and there, to get on top of her and kiss her, to nip at her skin, to make her moan his name.

Zuko licked her lips just as she was pulling back to take a breath.

"Zuko," Mai whispered, and her voice was real and raw. It set a fire within Zuko, and he leaned back away from her, breathing fire from his lungs. Mai smiled, her eyes dark and shining, and she grabbed his collar and pulled him towards her, capturing his lips in another kiss.

His lips were warm, and his tongue was even warmer, leaving a fiery, tingling trail in her mouth. Zuko kissed her jawline, careful not to suck at her skin so he wouldn't leave a hickey. From there, his lips moved down to her neck, and he tugged her collar lower until her collarbone was exposed to him. He kissed her collarbone slowly, taking his sweet time with it.

Mai was blushing again, but out of the heat of desire instead of embarrassment.

"I wish we could spend the night here," Zuko said, his voice vibrating against her skin.

"Why couldn't we?" Mai asked him. "It's not like anyone cares or even notices we're gone."

Zuko chuckled at her and leaned back on his palms. Mai leaned forward, wanting his body pressed up against hers. She put a single hand to Zuko's chest, her nails sinking into the fabric, and she briefly wondered if they were sharp or strong enough to tear the fabric.

"I suppose you're right," Zuko said. "Unfortunately," he mumbled a second later.

His downcast mood didn't last this time, and Mai almost smiled at that. Almost. Instead, Zuko smiled at her, and shifted closer to her, brushing up against her body. Mai leaned her head up against Zuko's shoulder, slowly blinking, savoring this moment. She wished it could last forever and ever and ever. She sighed contentedly, and when she opened her eyes, she noticed Zuko's eyes on her, looking at her with…

…with an intensity that told her he liked her more than normal.

That was the only way she could put it. She'd seen that look on his face, only once before, and she couldn't' remember where. But she recognized it all the same.

And, even worse, it didn't scare Mai. It made her want to be closer to him, and not push him away.

Is this what growing up is like? she thought to herself.

"Beautiful sunset," Zuko said, turning his eyes to the horizon.

Mai chuckled. "I guess," she said, trying her best to keep her usual monotone but failing. "Orange is such an awful color," she said.

Zuko smiled. "You're so beautiful when you hate the world," he told her, leaning in even closer to her.

"I don't hate you," Mai told him.

"I don't hate you too," he said.

They kissed again, this time softer and slower. Zuko kissed her sweetly, and was debating whether or not to slip his tongue into her mouth when he heard a fake cough from in front of them.

There stood Azula, looking at them with her arms crossed. They both glared at her.

Couldn't she see that they were busy?

xoxo

After Azula had left him, he sat alone on the mountainside for five minutes, brooding, mulling over what she had said. Then, he went to go look for Mai.


	9. Aunt Shoma

When Mai returned home, she saw her Aunt in the dining room, drinking tea and playing a quiet game with some woman she didn't know. A day had passed since her and Zuko's romantic picnic on the mountain, and Zuko had only seen her once since then. She didn't blame him, though she was irked that he only visited her for a short amount of time.

She knew, however, that soon they would be back to spending long hours with each other, cuddling and kissing and sharing their bitterness at the world with each other. She sighed just thinking about it, fighting a smile down from her face.

Mai was walking towards her room when her aunt called out for her. "Mai! Wait a minute."

Mai stopped walking and turned to look at her aunt, her was standing in the large hallway leading into the foyer. She gave Mai a single finger, telling her to wait, and she disappeared back inside the large dining room, saying something to her friend. When she walked back out again, her friend was leaving, and her aunt walked up to her, holding her hands out.

She took Mai's hands in her own and lead her down the hallway into the dining room. Mai didn't resist. Oddly enough, she was used to this kind of treatment. Maybe not being led around like this, but being told what to do, where to go… Stuff like that.

"Please, sit," her aunt said, gesturing to the dining table and the surrounding cushions.

Mai sat.

Her aunt sat across from her, smoothing her skirts out and straightening her back. Mai did the same, purely out of habit. She could still hear her mother's voice in her head, telling her to sit up straight and look nice and clean. She didn't speak, waiting for her aunt to say something. She was so used to this treatment that she had to fight the urge to fiddle with her knives underneath her sleeves.

Her aunt say quietly for a few minutes, pouring them both some tea and occasionally glancing up at Mai. Mai waited patiently, years of experience telling her that there was literally no point to trying to rush things along. People spoke when they wanted to; she just had to be a good noble girl and wait.

Finally, her aunt sighed, sitting the teapot down on the table. "Let's get right down to the point, shall we?" she asked.

Finally, Mai thought to herself.

Her aunt reached across the table and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before letting go. "I know you've been sneaking out at night," her aunt said.

Mai was about to ask how she knew that, since she was always so, so careful, but her aunt said, "I'm the wife of a prison warden. I know when people are sneaking out of things." Mai thought that, yeah, that made sense.

"I also know that when you sneak out, you often go to see Zuko. I don't have a problem with this. I know that you are young and so in love—"

Mai humphed at that.

"—and I know that often times you two are watched by other people. But I know that sometimes you are not. There are times when you and him are alone, and when young teenagers like you and the prince are alone and in love, things might start to happen…"

Mai's eyes widened when she realized where her aunt was heading with this. She fought the urge to jump up and storm away, slamming her bedroom door shut as she locked herself in for the night. Another part of her wanted to scream and yell at her aunt, hiss at her for even bringing such a matter up. Hell, she wanted to rip her ears off and throw them at her aunt, smacking her right in the face.

But she did none of this.

Instead, she said, "Aunt Shoma, my mother already had this talk with me."

"I expected as much," said her aunt, "but I think you would do well to hear it again. Plus, I can tell you more than what Michi had probably told you. You can ask me questions, and I will answer to the best of my abilities. Mai, look at me."

Mai did, and she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"You will do well to hear it again, especially now that you and Zuko are so close," her aunt told her. Looking down, her aunt slid a cup of hot tea towards her, urging her to drink.

"I'm not thirsty," Mai said.

"Mai, sex is something that can be complex, especially if you don't know what you're doing. Sometimes it can be confusing, and sometimes it can be awkward. But with time, sex can be a wonderful, joyous thing," her aunt said.

She watched Mai, trying to gauge her reaction, but years upon years of practice kept Mai's face stoic. With a small, soft sigh, her aunt continued to talk, figuring that Mai was listening to her all the same.

"I remember when you got your first monthly. Your mother was so reluctant to give you the talk, and she probably didn't explain it very well. She was saying things like swords and sheaths, wasn't she?"

Mai nodded, and looked down at her tea, shifting her cup to make the liquid inside swirl. Steam still rose out of the cup, and the heat was burning her fingers as she wrapped her hand around the porcelain. That heat on her fingers kept her temper at bay, though.

"Well, she was partially right. Men have this sword in their pants, but it is not actually a sword. Instead, that is their organ. When they are aroused, it will become hard, and they can use this to penetrate a woman if they want to. Women do have a sheath-like part between their legs, but it is not actually a sheath. It is a complex organ, with many different parts. The most common is the tunnel, which is used for intercourse, childbirth, and menstruation," her aunt explained.

If Mai's grip on the cup tightened any more, she knew that she would shatter it into a thousand pieces. Maybe that would make her aunt stop talking. She gripped the cup harder, her knuckles turning white with the strain. Her aunt noticed her grip, but said nothing of it. Mai was difficult, as was this conversation.

"When a woman is aroused, she will become wet. This wetness is what makes intercourse easy. But the most important thing for sexual pleasure is the clitoris, which is a small bud near the opening. If this bud is stimulated enough, it will result in an orgasm."

Mai's face turned scarlet red, and she lifted the hot tea to her lips, trying to wet her dry throat.

"A man's orgasm results in a liquid that is used to make children. When this happens, the liquid needs to be inside the body for it to make a baby, otherwise that won't happen. This is what causes pregnancy. It is very similar to what your mother said, the sword going inside the sheath. In this case, the sword must be inside the sheath during orgasm to result in a pregnancy."

She looked at Mai, who looked like she was just about ready to either die on the spot or jump out of a window.

"Understood," her aunt asked.

Mai nodded, unable to make eye contact.

"Good," said her aunt. Leaning back on her cushion, she took a swig of her tea, trying to wash down her nerves. "Do you have any questions for me?" she asked Mai.

Mai shook her head, no.

"Are you sure?" her aunt asked.

Mai nodded, yes.

"Well, then, you may leave," her aunt said.

As soon as she said that, Mai jumped up out of the dining room, practically running for her bedroom. Shoma heard her door slam shut, and she knew by now that Mai was probably locking it, not wanting anyone to ever talk to her again. When she got up in the morning, she would check on Mai to see if she was alright.

With that, she finished her tea, and retired to her own room.


	10. Ghost Stories

Azula was well aware that Mai was bitter at her, ever since she'd broken up her and Zuko's little picnic on the mountainside. But it didn't bother her. Mai was always bitter about something, whether it was…well, Azula didn't really know what Mai was always bitter about. She never really gave it too much of a thought.

But she had a feeling that their little vacation would be changing all that. As the four teenagers sat on the deck of their small ship, pulled along the waves by the turtle seals, Azula had a creeping sensation that Ember Island would be messing with their heads a little too much.

Let it try, Azula thought to herself as she looked out at the waves and the sky. She'd heard plenty of urban legends about it, and in all the times she had been there, never did Ember Island have that 'cleansing' effect on her that everyone said that it did.

Azula just reasoned that they said that because it was one of the few times they were able to relax, and they equated that with the 'cleansing' nonsense they all talked about.

"I can't believe I had to leave those scrolls back at the palace," Ty Lee complained. "I just know that by the time we get back there, those scrolls will have been put away again and I'll probably have lost my place."

Ty Lee sulked, leaning her head against the lacquered railing of the boat. Then an idea popped into her head, lighting her up like a lantern. Spinning around, she beamed at Azula and said, "You think you could tell me the story some more?" she asked her. "About Tonantzin and that feathery dragon?"

"I might," Azula said, setting her steaming tea down on a nearby coffee table. "If I feel like it, that is."

"Well, do you feel like it?" Ty Lee asked. She went over and sat down beside Azula on the cushions, crossing her legs and placing her hands on her lap.

Azula looked away; the glimmer in Ty Lee's eyes was so sickeningly sweet.

"I guess…" Azula said bored-ly. "Where were you in the story?"

"Well," said Ty Lee, leaning in close to Azula, "She'd found the golden dragon egg, and she spent like a year trying to hatch the thing…and that's where I stopped…"

Mai turned to look at the two of them, watching them…bond?…over that specific story. Her shoulders and jaw slacked as she looked at them, the tension leaving her body. She wouldn't say that it looked peaceful, but it almost looked somewhat normal. Sort of.

"Well, after that, the dragon hatched and the first thing it did was bite her," Azula said, reaching for her tea cup and taking another long sip, "and she'd finished with that task. She only had two more to go. She bled and washed her wounds and bandaged them, then went to the dragon again, ready for her next task…"

Zuko groaned, slamming his fists into the railing. "How can you be so calm about this?" Zuko asked her, directing his shouts out towards the ocean. "How can you be so calm about being thrown out of the palace?"

"Zuko," Azula sighed, exasperated and rolling her eyes, "we're not being thrown out of the palace. We're going on a vacation." She turned back to Ty Lee, who was looking at Zuko with concern etched onto her face.

"Don't worry about him," Azula told Ty Lee. "He just needs some time." Even though she was speaking quietly, Mai and Zuko both could still hear them talking.

Mai wanted to go over and put a hand on his shoulder, help ease away the tension, but she felt like she had done enough for today.

She tried talking to him ever since he and Azula first got the notice that they were to leave for Ember Island by the Fire Lord's orders, and she had kissed him, rubbed his back, and it still didn't do much to help. He was retreating back into his angry former self, and Mai knew she wouldn't be able to handle that. She only hoped…prayed…that he wouldn't turn into…that…

But she still tried.

"Zuko," Mai said, taking a few steps towards him, "relax. It's just a vacation. There's nothing to worry about." Taking another step, she put a hand on his shoulder, and his tension left him.

But his worry, his angst, and his bitterness?

That was still there.

xoxo

Lo and Li had both fallen asleep just as the sun was starting to set.

Which meant that it was a perfect time for the teenagers to all gather around an outdoor fire pit in the middle of the night, half-naked and telling each other ghost stories. But only after Ty Lee made Azula finish the story of Tonantzin, the first firebender.

With that finished, it was onto the ghost stories.

"I'll go first," Ty Lee said, clapping her hands together.

Leaning forward, she gave them her best spooky face, and her best spooky voice. "A long, long time ago, four teenagers went down to the beach…"

"This isn't going to be a serial killer story, is it?" Mai asked.

"Maybe. Just wait and see," Ty Lee told her. Going back to her spooky voice, she said, "Four teenagers went down to the beach. It was late, and they had been up all night drinking saké. They decided to take a walk, near the waves. It was a moonless night…"

Azula sighed, leaning back into the sand. She expected this to be one boring, unimaginative story.

"It was a moonless night, and the drunk teenagers couldn't see where they were going. They didn't even know where they were. Which made them the perfect victims for the evil, wicked monsters who preyed on people just like them.

"The monster waited in the shadows while they all walked right into his trap…"

Mai yawned, but kept listening. She leaned against Zuko, resting her head on his shoulder, and Zuko leaned back into her. A small smile graced Mai's face, and she wondered if tonight would be a night they could be together without interruptions or bits of aggravation mucking it all up.

"Suddenly, all the stars went dark, and the wind got cold, and the monster sprung on them. He leapt out from the shadows, looking hideous. His teeth were sharp and pointy, and stained with blood, and he had claws as long as a dragon's tail. He was dripping saliva, his mouth watering at the sight of the feast in front of him.

"The teenagers tried to run, but they found themselves trapped as he slithered around them, trapping them all in." Ty Lee paused, glancing around at all their faces before continuing on. "His tail tightened around them all, squeezing them until they couldn't breathe, their ribs were breaking, their organs were crushed, and blood was seeping from their eyes. Just when they thought they would die, the monster uncurled his tail, leaving them dying on the sand. Just when they thought they were safe, the monster opened his huge draw, his fangs shining, and he snapped their heads off, one by one, before devouring them all."

"Definitely a gory story," Azula said, sitting back up. "But not really scary."

"Not scary?" Ty Lee said, putting a hand to her chest. "Are you kidding? When my sister first told me that story, I was terrified. I couldn't sleep well for weeks, and I wasn't able to come back to Ember Island without all my sisters dragging me along with them."

Still, it didn't really change their minds.

"I'm with Azula on this one," Mai said. "Definitely gory, I'll give you that. Has all the markers of a horror story, at least."

"Alright then," Ty Lee said, putting her hands on her hips. "Who's next? Who can do better?"

They were all quiet. Azula leaned forward and stoked the fire with a stick, swirling the orange glowing embers around before relighting them with her blue fire.

"I suppose I'll go next," Azula said, leaning back on the sand and gazing up at the stars.

"If you really wanna scare everyone, just tell them the story of the maids trying to potty train you," Zuko said, smirking at her. "That'll really terrify us!"

Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee all laughed at that while Azula's face got red in anger and embarrassment. Gritting her teeth, she shot a jet of blue flame directly at Zuko, which he easily blocked. She had to resist the urge to grab a clump of sand and throw it directly at him.

Azula glared at each of them in turn as their laughter died down. "Are you all done, yet?" Azula snapped at them. "Or are you fools still guffawing at Zuzu's little joke?!"

"We're sorry, Azula," Ty Lee said, taking Azula's hand and patting it. Azula snatched her hand away from Ty Lee, glaring at her.

"Yeah, we're sorry," Zuko repeated, still chuckling quietly.

Azula crossed her arms and pouted, looking down at the roaring blue fire. "Now I'm not sure I even want to tell you," she said.

"Oh come on," Ty Lee said. "It was just a little joke."

"Yeah," said Mai, "go on and terrify us with your tales of fear and pain and anguish."

Zuko said nothing, but still looked at her expectantly.

Huffing and uncrossing her arms, Azula said, "Alright then." She leaned back into the sand again, enjoying the heat and comfort of the beach, and took at deep breath. The wind was fresh and salty, and it sent blue sparks drifting in the air.

"Many years ago, in the Fire Nation palace, a woman was lusting after a man."

"Truly terrifying," Mai snarked.

Azula's eyes darted towards Mai for a brief second before going back to the sky. Mai pretended not to notice.

"She was a noblewoman, young and beautiful, and unmarried. He was a nobleman, just as young as her and just as unmarried as her," Azula continued.

"So the woman decided that she wanted to marry him. She went to him one night, and she asked him if he would be her lover. He agreed. Many months passed by, and the woman grew ever more devoted to him. One night, the man asked her to marry him, and she said yes, obviously overjoyed."

"This is the least terrifying thing I've ever heard," Mai said.

"I'm getting to the scary parts," Azula snapped at her. "You wouldn't be able to figure out what's happening unless I tell you the beginning!"

"You sure? We're pretty smart after all," Mai said, quirking an eyebrow.

"I was referring to your relatively short attention span, Mai," Azula said.

"Oh snap!" Ty Lee said.

The two glared at each other for a minute before Ty Lee's laughter broke through the tension. "Oh come on, you guys! It's all just some good teasing," she said, looking back and forth between the two of them.

Mai leaned back again Zuko, and Ty Lee hoped that that was a smile she saw on her face. Hell, she'd settle for a smirk.

Azula sighed and laid back down.

"So Azula," Ty Lee said. "Then what happened? The man asked the woman to marry him, and she said yes. Then what?"

"The man did ask the woman to marry him, but the man had a secret. He did not want her; he wanted her servant. Many nights, he would corner her in the dark, staring at her until she ran off into the night. But the servant girl said nothing, not wanting to anger her mistress. But when the man and the noblewoman were finally married, he decided to pounce on her.

"The servant girl struggled, biting him, scratching him, drawing blood from him. Not knowing what else to do, she grabbed a knife, slicing his face apart, and then swung at his neck, blood spurting from his wounds. When the noblewoman came in, drawn by the sounds of a struggle and her husband's cries for help, she witnessed a scene of gore and betrayal. She saw the blood and she saw the servant woman's torn clothes, and she knew what had happened.

"She became so enraged that her body began to melt away. Her teeth became long and sharp, her skin turned to scales, and she was consumed in a fire so large, so scaldingly hot, so terrible to witness. Her skin melted off her bones and her blood boiled.

"Out from that fire came the noblewoman, her rage having turned her into a horrible black dragon, as large as a volcano, as fiery as a volcano, and in so much pain that the entire world felt the tremors of her body, and earthquakes shook the land. She broke and burned so many houses, killed so many people, and she killed both her husband and the servant girl, all in one slice, severing their spines.

"The servant girl became a ghost, haunting the palace and the entire city surrounding it. Sometimes in the night, on the anniversary of her death, people say they can hear screaming and crying from a far off place, begging for mercy and crying for help, screaming in pain and agony and fear.

"When her unavenged spirit cries, the walls start to bleed, fountains of water turn red, bubbling with blood fresh with the scent of death, and strange fires are lit, consuming houses so quickly that entire families die before they even smell the smoke, having been burned alive before they could escape from their nightmares.

"And the man was pulled into the Spirit World, his soul writhing in pain, as if it were still on fire. For his wicked, horrible deeds, he was cast into a hellish pit of torment, where the spirits of hate and pain and despair and evil tore him apart, piece by piece, slowly until his soul became so broken that he turned to dust, still screaming in agony even after all the years went by."

No one said anything after that. Not for a long time.

The only sound was the chirping of crickets, the crackling of the fire, and the crash of the ocean waves against the shore. The wind stirred around them, amplifying the deathly quiet that had settled in all around them.

Ty Lee was the one to break the silence. "Is…is that a true story?" she whispered.

"Yes. Of course," Azula said. "That's why the Fire Nation had to change the location of the Royal Palace. That palace…it's abandoned now. It's far in the southwest, and people are afraid to go near it."

More silence.

And crashing waves.

And crackling fire.

More chirping crickets.

And whispering sea breezes.

And more silence.

With a huff, Azula finally sat upright, looking around at her small circle of friends. "Alright, who's next?" she asked, her voice somber. She looked at her brother, whose arm was slung around Mai's waist, leaning into her body, the two cuddling together tightly to ward off the sudden cold they felt.

"Zuzu, what about you?" she asked, her voice still as somber as the dead. "Do you think you could top my story?"

Zuko didn't say anything; he just stared at the blue fire, deep in thought. He pulled Mai closer to him, tightening his grip. He wanted to kiss her, for no other reason than to drive the thoughts from his head.

He sighed, softly, slowly, and he turned to look at Mai.

She gave him one of the weakest, most pained smiles he'd ever seen in his life, and without thinking, he pulled her forward and kissed her on the forehead. Mai closed her eyes and melted into him, wanting his touch more than anything right now.

"Zuzu…?" Azula asked, trying not to grimace at those two.

"You were right, Azula," he said at last. "No one could top your story. Let's all just turn in."

"Oh, come on, Zuzu," Azula said, trying to make her voice sound light and unbothered. "Tell us a story."

"Yeah, Zuko," Ty Lee said, joining in even though her heart wasn't in it. Honestly, turning in right now sounded prefect to her. "Don't leave us wanting."

Zuko looked from Ty Lee, to Azula, then back to Ty Lee. Then he looked at Mai. They were all waiting, expecting something. But he could see the tiredness on their faces, and the jitteriness in their bodies.

"Alright," he said, figuring, Why the hell not?

"Okay, so, several months ago, I was at the North Pole. The climate there is harsh and brutal and bitter and cold and…really just awful all around. So when the temperature drops so low, your skin stars peeling with frostbite, your heart slows down, you can barely breathe without your lungs turning icy. Eventually, if you stay out in the frozen tundra long enough, your blood gets cold and your muscles start spasming. I know because I got that cold once…

"And in the Arctic, where the Northern Water Tribe tribespeople live, they'll sometimes resort to cannibalism. Y'know, if it gets really cold.

"I mean, people would…like…unbury dead bodies, and cook what little they can, before eating the dead almost raw. And sometimes, when they don't have corpses to eat when they get hungry, they'll take someone and they'll kill them and eat them raw.

"When I got to the North Pole, I knew that I was basically dealing with cannibals, but I went into the tundra without a fear, into the driving snow and the bitter cold and icy winds, almost blinded by the blizzard, my skin freezing, bruising as I walked…"

Azula yawned. Quite honestly, she didn't want to hear about Zuko's failures. But on the other hand, it did sound slightly unnerving. And, despite the heat of the night, she could feel goosebumps appearing on her skin.

She'd never been to either of the poles, but she'd been North before, and the cold was something she wasn't fond of. She glanced down at her blue fire, and it felt cold somehow. She bent some more fire into the fire pit, leaning forward so the extreme heat kissed her skin.

"And eventually I came to a cave. I saw some bones sticking out of ice, so I figured…" Zuko was saying, but Mai cut him off.

"Zuko, there's no cannibals in the North and you know it," she said. "They may not be the most civilized people, but no one's been a cannibal for hundreds of years…"

"Maybe even thousands," Ty Lee muttered.

"No, definitely not thousands," Mai mumbled. "I mean, there was that story of that one boy who killed and ate his sister…"

"Oh, Mai, is this your ghost story?" Ty Lee asked her. "I think I know who you're talking about… That teenager who was possessed…or just really angry…I can't remember which…"

"It was a little Fire Nation boy named Ven…or Vo… He claimed that he served some dark spirit called Vaatu who told him to eat her," Mai said. "I can't remember. I was so young when I heard it."

"When did you hear it?" Ty Lee asked.

"I don't know," Mai said with a sigh. "I really don't care to remember…"

Azula and Zuko both had tuned the girls out.

Zuko watched as his sister leaned towards the fire, trying to thaw herself from the phantom cold that she felt. He sighed, looking at the blue bonfire she had made, watching the fire cast eerie shadows on the sand.

"Let's turn in for the night," Azula said, yawning and stretching.

"I'm with her," Mai said, giving Zuko's thigh a small squeeze.

"Yeah," Zuko said, staring into the fire. "It's getting late."

With that, all four of them got up and went back into the beach house. Ty Lee poured sand onto the fire, waiting until the smoldering stopped before following the others inside.

xoxo

That night, Mai and Zuko didn't care who knew or who saw. They climbed into bed together, bundling up underneath the covers, grasping each others hands tightly and putting their foreheads together. Neither Azula nor Ty Lee said anything or even gave them an odd look as they saw the couple turn in together.

They could even partially understand.

Ty Lee and Azula looked at each other before they went to bed, and Azula put her hand on Ty Lee's shoulder, giving it a quick squeeze before turning away from her and sliding underneath the covers, fast asleep within a minute's time.

Ty Lee slid underneath the covers, looking up at the ceiling. With a deep, soothing sigh, she turned her head to look at Azula, sleeping peacefully in her bed, and then to Zuko's bed where he and Mai were bundled up together. With another soothing sigh, she rolled over onto her side and closed her eyes.

It must be nice to have a relationship like that, Ty Lee thought to herself right before she fell asleep.


	11. Sweet Garden

The fourth night on Ember Island was their last night on Ember Island.

Zuko was grateful for that. He didn't want to stay on that damned island any more than he had to. Although, burning and trashing Chan's house was a bright spot. He'd hadn't had fun like that in…a while.

But now that he was going home…

He felt a lot better about that. He smiled more, he was more relaxed. Maybe what Li and Lo said was right…maybe Ember Island did wash away all your problems. But only after making more of them…

Zuko sighed and leaned on the railing, watching the waves as they lapped up against the wooden, lacquered boat. Mai sat next to him, her hand on his far shoulder and her head leaning up against his other shoulder. Zuko closed his eyes and breathed deep her scent…she smelled like ylang ylang and sweat.

"What's on your mind?" he whispered in her ear. He wanted to gently nip her ear, but Azula and Ty Lee weren't far away. He'd rather not have them watching.

Her eyes slid over to land on his face, and Zuko knew by the glint in her eye that her thoughts weren't passive. Mai smiled at him, and her grip on his shoulder tightened, her nails slightly sinking into his clothes and skin. "You really want to know?" Mai asked him, her voice low and raspy.

"Yeah," Zuko said, "what's on your mind?"

Mai's smile grew a bit bigger, and she whispered to him, "Lean in close."

Zuko did what she asked him, until her lips were pressed up against his ear. In her quietest voice, she whispered in Zuko's ear. Zuko's face turned red and his eyes grew big as he heard what Mai was telling him, and he gripped the railing in front of him, trying to bring himself back to reality.

When Mai finished telling him what was on her mind, she leaned back innocently, placing her head on Zuko's shoulder and looking out at sea, watching the waves lapping up against the boat and the wispy clouds moving along the jet stream.

Zuko glanced to his side, glad to see that Azula and Ty Lee weren't paying attention to either of them. He took at deep breath and looked back down at Mai, who was sitting there as innocently as ever. Zuko tugged at his collar, hoping that his blush was going down a bit. And…he didn't want to admit…he had to move his legs a bit to try to get his erection to go down.

Mai smirked, loving the reaction she had on him.

"You're blushing, Zuko," Mai told him.

"So are you," Zuko said, noting the light pink flush her cheeks had.

"So am I!" Ty Lee chimed in from across the boat. When everyone turned to look at her, Ty Lee said, "What? You two aren't as subtle as you think, especially on this tiny little boat."

Zuko and Mai looked at each other, slightly embarrassed, and then back out again at sea. Though Mai trailed her fingers along Zuko's shoulders and back, and Zuko leaned into her touch, the couple said nothing more for the entire trip there.

xoxo

Zuko didn't see his father the day after they had returned from Ember Island. Or the day after that. Or the day after that.

But he did see Mai everyday, and that was far better than any conference with his father.

While Ty Lee and Azula kept busy doing whatever, Zuko came by Mai's house almost everyday, staying for hours at a time. Luckily, Mai's Aunt Shoma was almost never around, saying that she didn't like living in Mai's parent's old house. It just…felt wrong…or so she said. Mai suspected that her aunt was often out of the house for her sake. Not that she was complaining. A part of her felt a bit miffed, though.

Tonight, though, she and Zuko spent their evening in the palace gardens, under a twilight sky and low hanging branches, thick with summer bloom. Fireflies were flickering in the bushes and trees, occasionally drifting lazily through the summer air. The water in the ponds were rippling as turtle ducks and tiny koi fish swam around, searching for food and following their mothers.

Zuko leaned against the truck of a thick tree, and Mai leaned back against him, resting her head up against his chest, her hand resting on his lap. Zuko wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer and kissing her on her forehead. Mai smiled and hummed, perfectly content. She closed her eyes and nuzzled up to him, breathing deep and smelling musk and ylang ylang and cinnamon.

"You smell nice," Mai breathed.

"Thanks," Zuko said. "You too."

"Thanks," Mai said.

The summer breeze blew past them, making Zuko's hair blow up against Mai's skin, and she tried not to giggle at his hair tickling her. Zuko smiled when he heard a small snicker leave her throat, though, knowing from experience that she was trying to stop herself from laughing. He thought it was cute. He looked down at her, as she was smiling and chuckling, her eyes closed and her head leaning up against him.

In Zuko's head, he was picturing paradise. Of heaven. He knew nothing of what the Fire Sages preached or what they practiced, he knew nothing of the Spirit World or reincarnation, but at that moment he knew that heaven was real, and it was here with Mai, in the gardens, at peace with her by his side.

"This is so wonderful," Zuko whispered, his words slurring in her hair. "I wish that this moment would last forever." Zuko knew it was impossible, but he wished and he hoped. He kissed Mai's head and forehead, kissed her cheeks and her neck, and then captured her lips in a kiss.

Mai moaned slightly, and put her hands behind Zuko's head, pulling him in deeper, darting her tongue into his mouth. Her hands slid down his neck and shoulders, and then she grabbed the fabric of his shirt, her fingers balling the fabric in her fists, tugging at his clothes.

She yanked on Zuko's clothes, pulling him down into another kiss, kissing him deeply. When they ended the kiss, Zuko looked at her, and he knew by the look in her eyes—by the color in her face—what she wanted.

"Zuko," Mai rasped, and her suggestive tone said it all. Still, she leaned forward again, her hands still balled up in Zuko's clothes, running her lips up his neck, giving him soft, quick kisses.

"Really?" he asked, glancing around the gardens. "Here?"

"You said that you wished I was more crazy and high-strung sometimes. I'm willing to be like that now," Mai said, glancing down at his neck and her fists loosening in his robes.

"Someone could see," Zuko said, glancing at the garden and then back at her.

"I don't think anyone will," Mai said. "These are private gardens, and no one's going to come out here. The palace servants are busy serving, and generals are busy planning, and nobles are busy being boring. No one's going to see," she said.

"Well…I guess…" Zuko said.

Hesitantly, he pressed another kiss to Mai's lips, and Mai savored the feeling. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she was practically bubbling with excitement. Never in her life had she done something so risky, but she was willing to try. Just to have the feeling; just to share it with Zuko.

Zuko wrapped his arms around Mai and she moved him on top of her, laying her head down on the soft grass. Zuko rolled on top of her, kissing her sweetly but deeply. Mai released his red robes and wrapped her arms around his back only before running her fingers through his hair.

As the night deepened, Mai's breathing became harsher. As the darkness became thicker, she parted her legs, wrapping them around Zuko's waist.

Zuko's heart was pounding like hers. His breath was coming out short and fast, and he could feel blood rushing between his legs, making him stiff. Mai's hair was spilled out behind her, pulled loose from its buns, and she unbuttoned her vest, sliding her arms out of the armholes. Zuko shifted his hips up against her, and Mai could feel his erection pressing through his clothes and up against her body.

She closed her eyes and moaned quietly.

Zuko kissed her neck, darting his tongue out and licking her skin. He pulled at the collar of her top, wanting to see her body. Mai moaned again and tilted her head back, her lips parting as she felt his lips up against her skin. Blood rushed between her legs, and she rubbed herself through her clothes.

She reached up for the waistband of her pants, slightly tugging them down until her hipbones were exposed to the cool night air.

Zuko's breath caught in his throat when he saw what she was doing.

"Still nervous?" Mai asked him, whispering in his ear.

"I…guess…?" he said.

Mai cupped his face, calming him with a deep kiss. Zuko kissed her back, letting all his anxiety fall away from him. It was just him and Mai out here. Just him and Mai.

He pushed his hips up against her again, teasing her. Mai bucked her hips up against him, feeling his erection up against her.

Zuko kissed her neck again, and then moved onto her collarbones, trying to ignore the taste of the silk in his mouth and focus on her skin just beneath that. His hand slid up from her hip and he stroked her hipbone with his fingers before sneaking his fingers underneath the hem of her tunic, pulling it up to reveal her stomach.

"Zuko," Mai breathed, her eyes closing in bliss.

"Mai," he breathed back.

He nipped at her collarbone, gentle enough to just tease, but it sent a fire racing along her veins. If Mai had been a firebender, she knew that she would have been breathing fire in that moment. She might have lit the entire garden on fire; her body felt so warm, flushing hot with her blood pounding through her veins and the heat of desire thick on her skin.

"Zuko," Mai said, tugging on the back of his clothes, "don't tease me like that."

"Sorry," he said, put he continued to kiss her neck.

Mai tugged on the back of his clothes again, harder this time. She wanted to rip them off of him, and run her hands up and down his bare back, and drag her nails along his skin as he took her right there in the garden. A moan escaped her without her knowing it, and she pulled on his clothes again.

Zuko finally got the message.

He took off the elaborate collar that he wore, tossing it into the grass like it was nothing. He kicked off his shoes, and he unbuttoned the collar of his tunic. Mai unbuttoned another, and another, until she could see his collarbones peeking out. The sight of his skin excited her more, and she rubbed herself again, trying to relieve the ache between her legs.

Slipping her fingers beneath his clothes, she stroked his collarbones, running her fingers along his skin slowly, eliciting a small, breathy moan from him. She tugged at the edge of his unbuttoned collar, until his shoulder was naked. She leaned forward, pressing a long kiss to his shoulder, and she let her tongue slip out of her mouth and trail along his shoulder and towards his collarbone. His skin tasted sweet and salty at the same time.

"Mai," Zuko whispered, tilted his head down as she trailed her tongue to his neck, pressing more long, heated kisses to his neck.

Mai continued to kiss his shoulder, to lick at his collarbone, to make him moan and fidget. Zuko breathed her name again, and Mai moved to his neck, sucking on it, debating on whether or not to leave a dark hickey on his skin. She never got the chance to decide, because Zuko pulled her head back and captured her lips in a kiss, his fingers tangling through her hair.

Mai cupped his cheeks and looking up at him expectantly. Zuko kissed her more, and Mai stroked his cheeks. As they kissed, her fingers trailed down to his neck and to his collar, pushing the red fabric away from his neck and collarbones.

She wanted to see him naked and exposed, to see his bare chest and bare legs, see the blush on his body as he thrust himself forward, his leg muscles straining.

Mai rubbed herself again, and she thought that she might soon orgasm if Zuko didn't take her soon.

"Don't be so hasty," Zuko said, chuckling, and his laugh reverberated against Mai's skin.

"Don't be so slow," she retorted.

"Alright," Zuko said, and without warning, he yanked down Mai's pants, making her gasp in surprise. He pulled them down until they were at her knees, and he trailed his fingers up her inner thigh, slowly.

Before his fingers could tease her labia, his hand left her body, and came to rest on her arm, where he rolled his thumbs in small circles.

"Zuko," Mai rasped, closing her eyes and grabbing onto his tunic, her nails sinking into the fabric. "Don't tease me," she rasped, her head leaning forward and resting up against his chin. "Don't tease me."

Zuko's hand left her arm and went back to her inner thigh, where he rubbed small circles into his skin there. Mai moaned, softly, wanting him to do so much more to her. She tugged on Zuko's clothes and buried her head into his shoulder, nipping at skin and then kissing it.

When his fingers finally made contact with her labia, Mai sucked in breath, her head falling back against the soft grass. Zuko looked down at her and smiled a lecherous smile. She was blushing, her lips were parted, and her eyes were closed in bliss. She looked so beautiful, so perfect…

This was the Mai that he'd always seen inside of that stoic exterior. This was the Mai that he'd come to love.

Leaning down, he kissed her on her stomach, right above her navel, before taking her tunic and pulling it further up her body, until her breast binder was exposed. He kissed the silken binder slowly, traveling from the bottom hem to right where her nipples were, taking his time, slowly kissing and sucking on them.

Mai moaned more, and her hands ran through his hair, telling him, 'more, more.'

He kissed her lips then, his tongue brushing against her lips and then snaking around Mai's tongue, only for a moment, before he pulled away. Both his hands left her body as he straightened up, sitting up on his knees.

Mai watched as he reached up underneath his robes and began pulling his pants down. She couldn't see anything besides his bare thighs, even as the side slits widened as he struggled out of his pants. When the waistband was at his knees, he leaned forward again, kissing Mai's breasts, neck, and lips.

Zuko reached his hand beneath the front panel of his robe, stroking his erection. He was wet with pre-ejaculate and he knew that when he entered her, it would be smooth and painless. He stroked himself slowly, dragging his foreskin over the head slowly, and then back down again.

He moaned against Mai's mouth.

"Zuko," she breathed, her hands burying themselves in his hair. "Take me," she whispered. He knew that she was demanding it, not suggesting.

He stroked himself again, then let go of his erection, his hand traveling back to Mai's labia. She moaned when she felt his fingertips touch her, parting her vaginal lips to stroke the smooth, sensitive labia. His fingertips started at her entrance, sliding into her body just an inch, checking to make sure that she was wet enough. Zuko remembered what his uncle had said about needing a woman to be wet. When he felt her wetness coating her body and his fingers, he traveled up from her entrance to where her…"flower bud" was supposed to be.

He…couldn't find it very easily.

Mai had to guide his fingers to the exact spot. When Zuko felt it, the small bud that was her clitoris, he rubbed his fingers against it, back and forth, until Mai was writhing beneath him.

He liked that reaction. He moved his fingers back and forth over her clitoris, at a gradual pace, watching her body jerk and arch forward, loving the reaction it had on her.

He slid his fingers back and forth…

Back and forth…

Back and forth…

Up and down…

Around and around, circling her clitoris…

Mai put her hand to her mouth, biting the side of it, her legs spasming, her back arching, her face contorting to one of pure ecstasy, her breathing deep and fast, sucking in air like she'd almost drowned. Even biting down on her hand, Zuko could hear her moans and grunts and whimpers.

He didn't stop stroking her clitoris, playing with it, circling it…

Mai spasmed again, then laid back flat against the grass, that blissful look still on her face. She stopped biting her hand, but kept her mouth covered. When Zuko changed the motion, swiping up and down, Mai jerked her body away from his fingers, whimpering and moaning up against her hand.

Zuko let his hand rest against her hip.

Mai's breathing slowly returned to normal, her body relaxed, and she took her hand away from her mouth. Zuko took her hand in his, looking at the bite marks on her skin before sweetly kissing them, licking the indentions before sucking on the tips of her fingers.

"You okay?" Zuko asked her, looking down.

"I came," Mai whispered, looking up at him with a smile. "I came, I orgasmed. You made me orgasm," she told him. Before Zuko could even respond to that, she grabbed his face, pulled him down, and kissed him deeply.

Zuko kissed her back. When the kiss was finished, the moon was high in the sky and Zuko's erection was throbbing beneath his robes.

"Mai," he grunted up against her, "I need to get in you."

"I know," Mai replied, a devious smile on her lips.

Zuko moved his robes out of the way, and that was when Mai saw his erection. The aftershocks of orgasm ran through her body again, and she breathed deeper, excitement racing through her veins. His penis jutted out in front of him, thick and throbbing, blushing a reddish-pink near the tip, and wetness beaded on the slit.

Zuko grabbed his penis and positioned it between her legs, but only after looking around the garden to make sure that no one was still there.

Before Zuko could enter her, Mai said, "Hey, Zuko?"

"Yeah?" he asked her, teasing her body by putting the tip of his erection right against her labia.

"This time, can you last more than two minutes?"

Zuko quirked his lips and wrinkled his nose, glancing down at the ground, before trying to make his face go back to normal.

Mai chuckled and grabbed his sleeves, her hips leaving the ground and teasingly pushing her body a bit closer. Zuko's eyes closed as he felt her body caressing his.

He leaned forward and kissed her again, right before he sheathed himself inside of her. They both gasped at the feeling. Mai's eyes shut and her head fell back against the ground, her fingers tightening in his sleeves as she felt him slide into her, and then slowly drag himself back out. He thrust quickly back inside of her, and she gasped again.

"You okay?" he whispered in her ear.

"Yes," Mai whispered back, running her hands up and down his back, caressing his body beneath his clothes. "That feels so good," she said, moving her hips up against him.

Zuko pulled himself out slowly, almost to the tip, and then thrust back in. Mai gasped again, and spread her legs a little wider. As Zuko began thrusting, slow and steady, Mai closed her eyes and breathed deep, savoring the feeling of him inside of her. She felt his erection sliding against her muscles, teasing and stroking all the sensitive little nerves. She clenched her muscles and arched her back.

Yes, sex felt wonderful.

And if it was shameful, she was too gone to care.

His pace quickened. Panting, he thrust in and out of her, angling his hips just right, and grabbed at Mai's hair and the soft grass beneath it. He grunted, quickly thrusting in and out of her, making their skin smack together. Briefly, he opened his eyes and looked around the garden, making sure that no one was still around.

No one was.

He looked back down at Mai, clearly enjoying herself on the ground, and smiled. He kissed her neck as he gave a quick, sharp thrust inside of her, making her gasp. Zuko did it again and again, just to hear her gasp each time. It was such a cute, lovely sound.

Zuko felt his orgasm starting to approach. So, of course, he had to wonder how long they'd been having sex. It's not like he was counting the minutes.

"Mai," he grunted out, "I'm about to come."

"Not yet," she hissed back. It felt so damn good to have him inside of her, his body inside of hers, making her feel like she did. Her clitoris was tingling and her insides were being stimulated.

Yeah, not yet.

"'Kay," Zuko said, and slowed his thrusting. He took slow, deep breaths.

Mai waited for him to continue, shifting her hips on the ground and kissing his neck. Zuko waited and waited until he felt his orgasm fade away, and he began thrusting again.

Mai moaned all the while, nipping at his neck and whispering his name like a mantra. Her head fell back as he quickened his pace, and Zuko took advantage of her exposed neck, licking it and nipping at it.

Just like she had done to him.

His orgasm was approaching again. He slowed, stopped, waited, and resumed. He wanted this to last as long as possible. Not just for Mai's sake, but for his as well.

Finally, when he could take no more, he decided that he would just let his orgasm happen. He sucked at Mai's lower neck when he felt it approaching. He didn't warn her, but instead moaned up against her neck.

He thrust hard and fast inside of her, spreading her legs wider with his hand, panting and sweating. He closed his eyes, groaned her name, and came.

His seed shot out of his body and Mai felt the wet warmth spreading inside of her. She peered up at him, at his messy hair and blissful face. He was smiling like an idiot…a tired idiot…but he looked so beautiful then.

He kept his erection inside of her, giving a few final thrusts to get the rest of his seed out of him. He sighed and whispered Mai's name again, this time adding a, "Oh, fuck yes," to the end.

With both of them having climaxed, they laid in the garden together. Zuko rolled off of her and rested by her side, pulling her clothes back over her so she wasn't so exposed. Mai snuggled up to him, giving him soft kisses and pressing smiles up against his skin.

"That was amazing," she told him.

"Yeah," Zuko agreed, "it really was."

A chilly breeze swept through the garden, rustling the green leaves and stirring the flowers. Mai shivered, the sweat on her body suddenly turning cold, and she pushed closer to Zuko, seeking out his warmth.

"Let's go inside," Zuko suggested when he felt her shiver again. "It's warmer in there."

"Yeah," Mai replied.

She stood up and tugged her clothes back over her stomach and slid her vest-jacket on. Zuko helped her smooth down her clothes and hair, trying to make her look somewhat innocent. Like she gotten laid in the palace gardens.

Together, she and Zuko went into the palace, holding hands and bumping shoulders, quietly making their way to Zuko's bedchambers for the rest of the night.


	12. The Bedchamber

Mai slept in a silk yukata. One that actually belonged to Zuko, so it was a little big on her. She didn't care; it's not like she was dressing up to impress anyone.

She combed her hair slowly, her thoughts carrying her off to distant lands. Back to the Earth Kingdom, back to the Serpent's Pass, back to Ba Sing Se, back to the ship she had sailed home on. She briefly thought of Tom Tom, and her mother, and her father. But only briefly. She thought of Omashu, and she could just feel her energy seeping out of her when she did.

She wanted to change her thoughts, but she couldn't. She was stuck in a cycle, thinking about her life, both as a noble little statue and as a blade-wielding warrior. If she could call herself a warrior.

The Fire Nation considered her a war hero, a woman of such high status and praise, an icon and heroine. But all in all, she felt sort of empty inside. She was good with her knives, and she had helped Azula conquer the entire Earth Kingdom. But…she still felt like it was an empty title. It felt as fake as her mother's diplomatic smile, or her father's laughter.

"Hey," Zuko said, putting his arms around her waist. "What'cha thinking about?" he asked her sleepily, nuzzling her shoulder.

"Nothing," Mai automatically replied. She didn't care that it was a lie; after all, back in the day, no one had cared what she thought.

"Nothing?" Zuko asked her, kissing her shoulder.

"Yeah," Mai replied, setting her comb down on the nightstand. "Nothing."

Zuko hummed, still kissing her shoulder. Mai smiled…sort of. It wasn't until Zuko started kissing her neck that the smile widened. She closed her eyes as he kissed her neck, his breath tickling her skin.

Zuko tightened his hold around her waist and pulled her back onto the bed with him, positioning them both of their sides. Mai blinked slowly, her body sinking into the mattress and soft covers. Zuko leaned forward so that his nose brushed up against hers, and he rubbed small circles with it. Mai giggled low in her throat, so quietly that he could barely hear it. Her giggle made him smile.

"Mai," Zuko whispered, putting an arm around her waist, "tell me something…"

"Alright," she said, slightly tilting her head.

"What makes you happy?" he asked her.

"I'm happy when I'm with you," Mai replied.

"But what else?" Zuko asked. "What makes you happy…besides me?" Zuko smiled at her, and even in the dark Mai could see the slight smugness in his grin.

She chuckled, running her thumb over his bottom lip. "I like throwing knives. And darts. And sais. And daggers. Stuff like that."

"Okay…so, knives," Zuko said. He shifted a bit on the bed, and Mai was drawn into his warmth. She breathed deep, smelling him. He smelled so perfect, like sex and sandalwood. "Me and knives. Is that all that it will take to make you happy?"

Mai sighed, rolling over onto her back and staring up at the dark ceiling. "I really don't know," Mai said honestly. "I've never really had a chance to branch out and have fun. Not like other kids could. Definitely not like Ty Lee. I might never know what else makes me happy…or whatever other emotions there are."

Zuko chuckled at that. He kissed Mai's temple and laid his head right by her shoulder. His hand came to rest on her stomach, and he fingered the silk sash that tied her yukata together. He toyed with it before sliding his hand up, sliding his fingers between the fabric and feeling her bare skin. Mai closed her eyes and let out of soft, faint sigh.

"I want to make you happy," Zuko whispered to her.

"I want that too," Mai said, "but you've been so distant lately."

Zuko said nothing to that. His hand stopped exploring and simply rested on her body. He looked past her, out the window to the dark expanse of the night sky, glittering with stars and illuminated by a crescent moon. Thin, wispy clouds caught the silvery light, looking like ghosts in the air.

"I've got a lot on my mind," Zuko said.

"Yeah, so you've said," Mai replied. A minute of silence passed between them. Then, Mai asked, "Is this about Sozin's Comet?"

"…Maybe…?" was all Zuko said.

Mai searched his eyes for something, anything, but she couldn't see what was on his mind. He was lost in thought, that much was clear, and there was a shimmer in his eyes that told her he was thinking about something serious. Maybe it was the future, maybe it was about the war, maybe it was about royal succession or some boring stuff like that. But she hated seeing him like that. True, he wasn't like he had been on Ember Island, but there was still that confusion and coldness to his personality.

"Zuko," Mai whispered, and she put her hand over his. The hand that was underneath her yukata. She took his hand and started sliding it up her body, leading it to her breast, and letting him cup her.

Zuko gave her breast a slight squeeze. His eyes closed as he stroked his thumb across her skin, her nipple hardening as he flicked at it. His breath became hot on her neck, and he ran his lips over her sensitive skin.

"Zuko," Mai whispered again. "Don't stop."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he whispered back.

He played with her breast, slowly pulling her yukata away from her chest with each passing moment. The moonlight shone on her pale skin, and he could see that she was blushing.

He kissed her collarbone, and then her jugular notch. He was rolling over on top of her, and Mai wrapped her arms around his neck as he moved over her. He placed his knees on either side of her hips, and Mai lifted herself up, arching her back on the bed and raising her hips to brush her body against his pelvis.

"Mai," he whispered, just between their lips locked together.

Without hesitation, Mai pulled the sash of Zuko's yukata free, and the fabric fell open, exposing his entire body. He blushed, still somewhat shy and embarrassed about all of this…sex and nudity with his girlfriend and that kind of thing.

Mai ran her hands down his chest and abs, stopping just short of his penis, which was slowly becoming erect.

"Zuko," Mai said, prompting Zuko to look at her. She held his gaze, putting her hands on his cheeks, making him look deep into her eyes. "Take me," she whispered. Zuko knew it wasn't a question, wasn't a suggestion. He smiled a genuine smile, and captured her lips in a kiss, humming slightly as he kissed her.

Mai untied the sash of her yukata, and slipped out of it easily, leaving her body naked on the bed. Zuko swallowed nervously. Which he really shouldn't have been doing, since they'd had sex just hours before. Curse his awkwardness.

Suddenly, Mai flipped them both over, and Zuko stared up at her stunned. Mai gave him a wicked smile, and his heart started beating faster, adrenaline coursing through his veins. She ran her fingers through his dark hair, leaning down to give him light, teasing kisses. Her labia rubbed up against his erection, laying flat on his stomach, and she ground herself up against it. Zuko groaned low in his throat.

"Damn," he hissed.

His erection was tapered between her labia, and as she ground herself back and forth against him, her wetness coated his skin and spread across her thighs.

Reaching down, she stroked the tip of his penis, feeling the rounded head and the slick wetness. Spreading her legs and arching her hips just right, she positioned him in between her legs and slid down onto his thick shaft. She moaned as she did, feeling every inch of him sliding into her body. She closed her eyes, wanting to feel every little bit of his body.

Zuko put his hands on her hips.

Mai began a slow, steady rhythm, building them both up to that point of sweet, sweet pleasure. Mai felt as Zuko's fingers dug into her hips as she thrust her body against his, and she licked her lips, wanting him to do so much more.

"Zuko," she hissed, and grabbed one of his hands, snatching it away from her hip. Slowly, so very slowly, she slid his hand up her stomach, up to her breasts, and then rested it against her neck. He didn't squeeze her neck, but slid his thumb over it gently, and Mai's head lolled back.

She put her hand over his, wrapping her fingers around his wrist, sighing and moaning as she continued to ride him.

With his hand wrapped around her throat, Mai grabbed his other hand and put it between her legs. Zuko didn't know what she was doing, but he didn't have to. Mai grabbed his hand and curled it into a fist, placing it just right so that her clitoris rubbed up against his knuckles with every thrust she made.

She bucked up against him, driving them both wild with pleasure, and her legs began to shake as she got closer and closer to her peak. Zuko began thrusting his hips upward, bucking up against her, his erection plunging deep inside of her. His back was beginning to arch, and he was groaning with each movement Mai made.

Mai rode him hard, bucking her hips wildly, pleasure consuming her body, her nerves racing with that sweet ecstasy, her moans becoming louder and filling the bedchamber, amplified in the calm night air. Her vaginal walls began to tighten around him, gripping him tight as she got closer to climax.

"Mai!" Zuko called out as he came. He thrust his hips as high up as he could, deep inside of Mai's body, where she shuddered and convulsed around him, trembling and moaning and gasping his name with every breath.

Mai continued to ride him, wanting her own orgasm. She rode him hard and fast, her clitoris rubbing against his hand, his hand now on her breast, her name on his lips, as sweet as honey nectar. "Don't stop," Mai gasped, her hand tightening around his wrist.

Zuko tried his best to keep his erection, but he was softening despite his best efforts. With Mai's next grind, he slipped out of her body. She tried not to care. His hand was still there, and her clitoris was still being stroked. She could come like this.

"Oh sweet nation!" Mai gasped as she finally came. Her body trembled and shook as she rode out her orgasm, the sensations racing along her veins and through her muscles.

When she came down from her high, she fell off of him and landed flat on the mattress next to him, sweating and panting and mumbling something about ecstasy. Zuko panted next to her, and he pulled her into an embrace, kissing her and running his hands all along her body.

"That was incredible," he mumbled against her skin.

"I agree," Mai agreed.

"I…" Zuko stopped himself.

He was about to tell Mai that he loved her, but something stopped him. He looked at her, at her face in the moonlight, so blissful with the warm afterglow of orgasm, her shining black hair messily splayed around her head like a halo, her breasts rising and falling with her breath. Yeah…he loved her. But…he just couldn't find it in himself to tell her that.

"What?" Mai asked him, her voice back to its normal quietness. "You what?"

"I…think you're really beautiful," he said, and gave her a sheepish grin.

Mai giggled and kissed him.

xoxo

The first rays of sunlight woke him.

Zuko stirred beneath the sheets, stretching his muscles and yawning. It was only when he stretched out his arms that he remembered that Mai had slept with him that night.

Luckily, he didn't wake her. If he remembered their time on the ship correctly, he knew that Mai was somewhat grumpy in the mornings. Especially if she was woken up too early.

Like, right around sunrise.

Which was what it was now.

"Sorry," Zuko whispered, but she couldn't hear him."Oh, right," Zuko said, rolling his eyes and slapping his forehead. "You can't hear me." She was still fast asleep, buried underneath the covers and blankets, breathing evenly, forgetful dreams filling her head.

With the dream that Mai was currently having, she would be happy to forget it.

She dreamt that she was in the throne room, sweating and panting, and holding a toy baby with hollowed out eyes and made from charred wood. Soot covered her hands and clothes and chest. Her legs were made of stone, her blood like molten metal, her hair long and tied around the pillars of the throne room, the charred ends burning to a crisp as angry red fire licked at the ends. She looked down at the toy baby to see it turn to ash in her hands, and then disappear as the dust fell onto her lap.

That was when Mai woke up.

She peeled open her eyes and squinted at the bright sun that was streaming through the window. Great. Another bright, sunny day. She closed her eyes and rolled over on the mattress, trying to get back to sleep.

"Hey, you're awake," Zuko said.

"Mmm," was all Mai said, trying to ignore him and fall back asleep.

"Did you have pleasant dreams?" Zuko asked, laying down next to her.

Couldn't he take a hint? "No," Mai said. Hopefully he would stop asking questions with that. Unfortunately, he did not.

"Why?" When Mai didn't answer, Zuko asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Mai opened her eyes just to glare at him.

"So…is that a no?"

Mai sighed and closed her eyes again, burying herself deeper into the covers and ignoring Zuko.

Zuko got the message—finally—and laid back down on the mattress beside her, stretching his arms again and groaning a bit. He rolled over so that his back was facing her, then rolled over so that he faced the sun.

The Capitol City was hazy from the nighttime fog that always rolled in just before dawn. It gave the city an eerie sort of glow, like it was burning and covered by smoke, but it was so quiet and calm that it made him think that the fire had silenced everyone. He used to think that when he was younger, back when he was still a kid and his mother still lived with them and he didn't have a scar on his face.

He told Azula about his thoughts once or twice, and Azula…had actually liked that story. She had sat by him and they had watched the sunrise together, watching as the fog turned a bright, fiery orange and the city slept on in silence.

"NEEM OIL!"

Mai bolted upright and jumped off of the bed, quickly pulling on her clothes from last night.

"What?!" Zuko asked.

"Neem oil!" Mai repeated. "I need neem oil!"

"What?" Zuko asked again, scratching his head. He didn't have a clue what was going on, and Mai wasn't really explaining anything. Stretching, he got out of bed and walked over to the mirror, where Mai was quickly putting on her clothes and smoothing out the wrinkles.

"What's that?"

"Zuko," Mai hissed, looking at him with a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment. "You can't possibly be that dense."

Zuko wanted to snap back at her, but he actually was that dense…apparently. He just looked at her and shrugged in bamboozlement.

"We did…it…twice last night. I've got to get some contraceptive in me," she whispered, her face turning red. She turned back to the mirror, trying to focus only on her clothes and not Zuko's face just above her shoulder.

It took a second for him to realize it. But then, it hit him.

"Oh," he said. "Right. Pregnancy. That's a thing."

Mai rolled her eyes. When she had slipped her shoes on, she kissed him on the lips and then made for the door, quietly sliding it closed behind her so no one would hear. She made her way through the dimly lit hallways, just starting to turn orange with sunrise filtering through the curtains.

When she saw a servant resting up against a stone pillar, almost asleep, Mai ran up to her.

"Miu," Mai said, shaking her awake.

Miu slowly opened her eyes, her head still groggy and her brain still working slowly. When she saw Mai standing in front of her, though, her eyes snapped open and she gave her a polite bow.

"I'm sorry, miss," Miu said. "Please, I was only…"

"Hey, I'm not going to tell," Mai told her, and put a hand on her shoulder. When Miu straightened up, Mai leaned in and said, "So long as you won't tell anyone what I'm about to ask you."

Miu swallowed and nodded.

"I need you to bring me three vials of neem oil. And please be stealthy about it. I don't want anyone else knowing about this," Mai said. Of course, she knew that there were rumors going around the palace, and that her aunt would definitely know that she had spent the night with Zuko. But still, where discretion could be applied, use it.

"Of course, miss," Miu said, bowing and making off for the kitchens.

With that, Mai made her way back through the palace hallways, trying to make it look like she was there for an early morning visit and not like she had just spent the night in the prince's bed. Miu would find her soon enough.


	13. Girl Talk

"You're having nightmares about babies?" Ty Lee asked with a laugh.

Mai stopped painting her nails black to glare at her. "Don't laugh," she snapped. "I know it's stupid, and I'm mad at myself for dreaming about such garbage. Such stupid, stupid, ridiculous nonsense…" Mai shook her head and went back to her nails.

"I'm not mocking you, Mai," Ty Lee said, looking across the window seat at her friend. "I just think it's kinda cute."

"Cute?" Mai spat. "Of all the words in our language, and you choose the word 'cute?!'"

"Should I not have?" Ty Lee asked her.

Mai sighed. Ty Lee really didn't have a clue, did she?

Ty Lee sensed her friend's anger with her, seeing her aura turning slightly teal in annoyance before dying back down to a steely gray.

She looked down and went back to painting her toenails black, not bothering to look at Ty Lee. She'd never understand.

"Well, maybe it's what the babies symbolize," Ty Lee suggested. "Clearly it means that you're afraid of getting pregnant." She waited for Mai to say something back, but she didn't. She just sat there, staring at her black nails in silent contemplation.

Honestly, Mai had considered that. It seemed the most obvious conclusion; but there was something else to those dreams, something than ran deep inside of her, deeper than her blood and bone. It itched at the back of her mind, irritating her, taunting her, daring her to try and guess what it was. She knew, deep down, that there was something more to that dream than just a baby. There was fire, and ashes, and her hair had been burned. Her body was nearly immobile and the baby wasn't even real; it was just burned wood that was crumbling in her hands.

"Mai…?" Ty Lee asked, pulling Mai out of her daze.

"What?" Mai asked, looking up at her.

"You okay?" Ty Lee asked. "You went really silent for a while." She paused, looking Mai over as she sat on the cushioned window seat looking out at the gardens. Ty Lee touched the top of Mai's foot, and Mai finally met Ty Lee's gaze.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Mai told her and gave her a weak smile.

"That's good to hear," Ty Lee said, and returned the smile. It was radiant and joyful, and it sickened Mai. How happy Ty Lee could be, how unburdened she was.

Mai looked down at her hands and set to work on painting her fingernails black.

"You don't want to get pregnant, do you?" Ty Lee asked suddenly.

Mai nearly dropped the vial of nail polish. "What?! Are you crazy? Of course I don't!" she stammered. "I'm far too young, I'm unmarried…not to mention that I hate kids."

"Oh, I'm sure you don't mean that," Ty Lee said. "You can't possibly hate every child in the world."

"You'd be surprised," Mai replied.

Ty Lee laughed at her response. "Oh, Mai," she said, giving her knee a slight slap. "Look at you! You're blushing!"

Mai pointedly looked down at her lap, not wanting anyone to see her blush. Not even Ty Lee, despite the fact that she was her closest friend. Ironically enough. Mai had come to the conclusion, long, long ago, that if it weren't for Azula, the two girls never would have been friends. Never.

"You're pretty when you blush. You should blush more often," Ty Lee told her.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," Mai mumbled.

"Are you close to your monthly?" Ty Lee asked her.

"Why don't you paint your own nails," Mai suggested. Ty Lee saw her muscles tense up with that question.

"Yeah…okay…" Ty Lee said, and reached for a vial of pale pink nail polish. She painted her toe nails in silence, occasionally looking up at Mai, trying to see if she had calmed down any. But every time Ty Lee looked up, she saw her aura tinted with anger, and she'd look back down to her nails and continue painting.

When Mai had finished the second coat of color on the top of her fingernails, she blew on them lightly. She was trying to ignore Ty Lee's constant looks at her, but it was starting to get to her.

"Will you stop looking at me?" Mai snapped at her.

"Sorry," Ty Lee said, shrinking back a little and pouting.

Mai sighed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap."

"No worries," Ty Lee said, back to her happy self.

"I am close," Mai told her then. Ty Lee looked confused, so Mai clarified; "To my monthly. I can tell. My breasts have been getting really sore, and just this morning I thought I felt a cramp."

"That's both great and sucky," Ty Lee said. "Hopefully it won't be too bad this month."

"With my luck, it'll be incapacitating," Mai said, furrowing her brows and shaking her head. "I hate bleeding," she hissed, and leaned up against the window.

"Yeah but you hate everything," Ty Lee joked.

Mai wasn't in a joking mood. She brushed off Ty Lee's comment and stared out the window, taking in the scene before her.

Outside, the sun was shining down on the gardens, illuminating the trees that were in full bloom, their leaves a vibrant green, their flowers perfuming the air, their fruit ripe and hanging low on the branches. Far away, one of the kitchen maids was collecting the mangoes on a low-hanging branch and placing them in a basket of woven rope. Birds were either preening or building their nests, turtle ducks were swimming in contentment, bees and butterflies were pollinating the flowers.

It was a perfectly peaceful scene, but Mai couldn't be bothered to appreciate it.

"Isn't it a wonderfully beautiful, perfect day out?" Ty Lee asked, leaning up against the window and gazing out with wide, shining eyes.

"Sure."

"Oh, come on, Mai!" Ty Lee said. "You can't be grumpy with a day like today. Just look outside!"

"I am looking outside," Mai said.

Ty Lee looked back at her. "But your aura is so dark…"

"Will you stop with the auras?" Mai said with a sigh. "They don't mean anything."

"I refuse to believe that," Ty Lee said, placing her hands on her hips. "I've seen it work in action, I've seen plenty of other people see auras, and I even know of a Fire Sage who studied auras!"

"You do not," Mai shot back.

"I do too," Ty Lee replied.

"You do not. It's probably just some circus trick you picked up," Maid said, crossing her arms in front of her.

"I did learn a lot of things at the circus," Ty Lee said. "Want me to show you?"

Mai rolled her eyes and looked back out the window.

"Oh, come on!" Ty Lee said, and without warning she grabbed Mai's hands and pulled them towards her.

"What are you doing?" Mai snapped.

"I'm gonna show you a circus trick," she said, "since you're so opposed to auras." Ty Lee turned over Mai's hands so she could see her palms. Mai waited patiently as Ty Lee stared at her hands. "Let me see…" Ty Lee muttered. "Oh. Oh no."

"What?" Mai asked, leaning forward, suddenly curious.

"This line right here," Ty Lee said, pointing to a crease on Mai's palm, "this means that you have a short life ahead of you."

"Stop trying to cheer me up," Mai said. When she saw a look of pure horror cross Ty Lee's face, she tried laughing to break the tension. Putting a hand on Ty Lee's shoulder, she said, "I was only joking, Ty Lee."

"I'm not so sure," she mumbled.

"Quit worrying about me," Mai told her.

"I don't think I can," Ty Lee said. "You're one of my best friends in the whole wide world, and I care about you and want you to be happy."

Now she sounded like Zuko.

Mai sighed and said, "Ty Lee…" But she didn't know what to say. She could tell her to stop worrying again, but how much effect would that have? "You know, Ty Lee, if it wasn't for Azula, we wouldn't be friends."

"Yeah, I know," Ty Lee said with a smile. "That's just another reason why Azula is so great."

Mai sighed again.

She remembered that once her mother had told her that if she kept sighing her lungs were going to permanently deflate. She believed that until she was twelve.

"I sense resentment," Ty Lee said.

"She rules us. She makes us fear her. She's not that good of a friend," Mai said, shaking her head and looking down at her hands.

"That…is…kinda true," Ty Lee admitted. "But Azula is so much more than that. She's so wonderful and amazing and perfect. She's generous and she's tenacious! She's beautiful and—"

"Sounds like you have a bit of a crush on her," Mai teased.

Ty Lee blushed. "Yeah, maybe a little," she mumbled under her breath. "But she's so generous and tenacious and confident and so much more. You can't deny that! When I told Azula that I didn't want to live in my family's house because I had so many bad memories there, she had this whole room made up for me and now she lets me live in the palace as an honored guest and I get to have a maid who serves me tea and braids my hair whenever I want her to!"

"Yeah, you're living the good life," Mai said, not bothering to hide her sarcasm.

"I've always lived the good life," Ty Lee told her. "Even when I was in the circus and sleeping on a cot, I was living a good life! It's all a matter of perspective and being happy in life."

Honestly, her enthusiasm was so draining. Mai wondered how anyone could put up with it. How did Azula put up with it? How did she put up with it? Mai wanted to leave. Her nails were long dry and her shoes were waiting for her at the door. Maybe she would even run by Zuko and she could get him to come over to her house for a while, where they could lay on the couch and kiss and talk and kiss some more. Those thoughts alone were enough to make Mai start blushing, and a small smile crept up onto her face.

"Oh, Mai! You're blushing again!" Ty Lee said, leaning forward and clasping her hands together. Really, how did her eyes get so sparkly?

"Yeah," Mai said, a bit starry-eyed herself. "I am."

xoxo

Mai was curled up in bed, huddled into a tight ball as she waited for the servant to bring her her medicinal tea. She felt horrible, cramping and fatigued and…wet. She'd had worse periods, but this was by far a truly terrible one.

She didn't know why. If she had to guess, she guessed that maybe it was because she and Zuko had been having sex, and maybe there was something to do with that? Maybe he had given her a small, tiny little zygote baby and now she was desperately trying to get rid of it. She didn't know; it's not like they taught this stuff in school.

"My lady," called the servant from the threshold.

"Come in!" Mai told her.

In walked the maid, carrying a serving tray full of cups and saucers and a big pot of steaming tea. Mai watched as steam curled in the air from the nozzle, wondering how long it would be before she could drink it without scalding herself. The maid sat the serving tray down next to Mai's bed and grabbed a small towel, protecting herself from the burning hot porcelain and the even hotter steam as she poured the tea into the cup.

Mai sat up in the bed and walked over to the nearby chair, letting the plump cushions cradle her aching body. She picked up the cup, and then immediately set it back down again. The cup was too hot.

"Great," Mai whispered.

"Is it not to your liking?" the servant asked. "It is good for your ailments. The recipe has not failed to relieve a woman's pain in all the years that I—"

"The tea is fine, Yori," Mai said. "It's just a little hot. I can't drink it till it's colder."

"It should chill within a minute, miss," said the servant, Yori. "You can drink it then."

"Fine," Mai said, and brought her knees up against her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. "You can go now."

Yori gave a small bow and made for Mai's door, heading back to the kitchen where one of the servant boys waited for her to return. When Yori saw him, she was going to give him a quick kiss and tell him where to meet her that night. Maybe along the stream that flowed into the ocean, where the trees were nice and dense and the steep slope of the caldera protected them from any onlookers…

When Yori opened the door, she gave a squeak of surprise. Mai turned her head to see Yori bowing low and backing away from the door, saying, "Your Majesty."

At first, Mai thought that it was Zuko who had come to pay her a visit. But no such luck. In walked Azula, dressed in the most casual royal outfit she owned and striding into Mai's bedroom like it was a throne room.

"You may leave," Azula said, and Yori bowed her way out.

"What are you doing here?" Mai asked her.

"Can't I stop by to visit a friend?" Azula asked.

Her words seemed genuine enough, but Mai knew better. With Azula, things were never as they seemed. Ty Lee may be convinced that Azula was perfect in every way, but Mai saw her for what she really was. A double-edged sword, a head with two faces, a young girl built by and thriving on the war of her nation. Mai briefly wondered what Azula would be like if she hadn't been raised as a warrior.

Azula didn't wait for Mai to answer. She strode up over to the small seating area by the window and sat down in the chair across from Mai, watching and waiting to see what she did. Mai did nothing; she only sat there, huddled up in a ball, waiting for the tea to get cool enough to drink.

"What's in this tea?" Azula asked. "Why are you so eager to drink it?"

"It's medicinal tea," Mai told her. "It will help me with my cramping."

Azula waited for the second part of her question to be answered, and when it didn't come, she hissed, "And the ingredients?"

"Raw ginger slices, turmeric, fresh cinnamon. Served just hot enough to make your insides burn, but not in a bad way."

Mai paused, bringing the cup to her lips and cautiously sipping. It didn't burn her, so she drank some more. She felt the heat spreading throughout her core and seeping into her limbs. She uncurled slightly, not needing to hold herself in such a rigid position anymore.

"Cramps can't possibly be that bad," Azula thought aloud.

"Have some tea, princess," Mai snapped.

Azula didn't even protest. As she poured herself a cup of tea, Mai realized something: Azula was not yet a woman. She'd never bled before, and she'd never experienced the pain of menstrual cramps or the fatigue and emotional drain that came along with it. She was genuinely curious about the pain. And about Mai's overall condition.

"How does it taste?" Mai asked her.

Azula let the flavors bloom on her tongue before swallowing. It was good tea, she had to admit. "Not bad," she said, and set the cup down on the table.

One day you'll be grateful for it, Mai thought to herself.

"Why are you here, Azula?" Mai asked. What's your cover story, she added silently.

"I told you, Mai, I'm here to visit you. We're friends after all," Azula replied.

"Mm," was all Mai said. She took another long sip of the tea, waiting for the warmth to spread through her body again.

Azula sipped her tea as well, and the warmth that spread through her was just like when lightning started to form in her body, when intensely hot blue fire spread throughout her lungs and then simmered in the air as she exhaled. Yes, the tea was delicious, but she was loathe to admit it. She didn't want to end up like her fuddy-duddy uncle.

"I hear you've been making yourself quite comfortable in the palace," Azula said.

Mai glanced up at her and then back down at her tea. "The palace is a comfortable place," she replied.

"It is indeed," Azula said with a smile. "Of course, in your case, it might be more than just a place to relax." Azula arched one of her brows, waiting to see Mai's reaction.

Mai carefully guarded herself, and she let none of her emotions show. Not the embarrassment she felt, nor the anger, nor the annoyance, not even the small hint of happiness. She knew that Azula wasn't trying to provoke her; she was just teasing her. Just like a friend would.

"What do you mean?" Mai asked her, making her voice sound as innocent as possible.

"I mean that you are doing more than just watching turtle ducks," Azula said, making her voice just as innocent as Mai's. "After all, you've been in a very good mood these past couple of weeks." Azula smiled, but it came off as sly instead of innocent. "An especially good mood. It seems to have rubbed off on other people, even."

"Azula, are you mistaking me for Ty Lee?" Mai asked with a small smile.

"Please, Mai. Don't flatter yourself," Azula said, and smiled at Mai.

They both laughed.

"Yeah, I'll admit, I have been in a better mood lately," Mai said, sipping some more of her tea. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of warmth spreading through her body.

"That's good to hear," Azula said, smiling slightly. "You're so much more pleasant when you don't despise everything around you."

"Gee, thanks," Mai said.

"Oh, lighten up," Azula said, setting her cup down on the table. "I didn't mean anything by it."

Sure you didn't, Mai thought to herself.

"So tell me, Mai, it it nice? Watching the turtle ducks?" she asked, and wiggled her brows before giving her a sly smile.

Mai chuckled into her cup. She knew exactly what Azula was talking about, and to be completely honest, she really like being around Azula when she was like this. War Lord Azula was only so pleasant to be around. Weird Friend Azula was far, far better. Even when she was bullying her and Ty Lee.

"Why yes," Mai said, a sly smile of her own crossing her face. "The turtle ducks are great."

"How so?" Azula asked, leaning forward slightly. She tried her best to hide her genuine curiosity, but it wasn't actually working. But damn it, she wanted to know. She wanted…no, needed…knowledge.

"You mean the turtle ducks?" Mai asked her, arching an eyebrow.

"Yes…"

"Well, they really like the grains you give them," Mai said, "and the baby turtle ducklings are always so playful."

"I heard you were chased off by an angry turtle duck," Azula said. "She had you running for the hills with just a quack."

Mai frowned. "I was not running for the hills!" she snapped.

"No. No. Of course not," Azula replied. "The hills are too far away."

Mai let her disgruntled mood show on her face.

"Something wrong?" Azula asked her sweetly.

"Not at all," Mai lied. Then, "I heard you are jealous of Ty Lee."

"I am not!" Azula snapped back. "Why would I be jealous of her? I am perfectly calm and content with who I am." She took a long swig of her tea, savoring the zinging flavor on her tongue.

"Is it because of how pink her aura is?" Mai scoffed.

"Oh. You got me," Azula said, putting a hand to her chest. "I am viciously jealous of her pink aura. How can I go on living a life like this?" With that, she laughed again, and Mai laughed with her.

When the laughter died down, Mai sighed. "So Azula…"

"So Mai…"

"Do you really want to know about…turtle ducks?" she asked with an arch in her eyebrow.

"…Yes," she admitted. "I want to know about…monthlies too," she whispered, too embarrassed to speak it aloud.

"Why are you asking me?" Mai asked, bewildered.

"Well, it's not like I have a mother to teach me these things," Azula snapped, bristling at the mention of her mother. She shrugged it off a second later.

"Why not go to the palace physician then?" Mai asked. "I'm sure they'll tell you everything you want to know. And I mean everything." She smirked. "Probably a few things you didn't even want to know."

"I thought about that," Azula admitted. "But it's more than that. I also wanted to talk to you. We haven't spent much time together since Ember Island," she said.

Mai wondered if she was sincere. There was a certain coldness to her voice; but then again, Mai's voice was almost always emotionless. But there was always something so cold and calculating about Azula, in almost everything she did. Even talking with her friends had that knife-like edge about it.

Mai decided to take it at face value. She liked Azula, to a certain extent, and she did miss the days when it was just her and Azula and Ty Lee in the palace gardens.

After Zuko had been banished, Mai had moped about for years, not even bothering to talk to her friends anymore. Ty Lee made the most effort to get her back to her normal self, even if it was stoic and a bit bland. Azula…well, she still called on her, still let her wander the palace grounds, still asked her to train with her and Ty Lee in mock fights and silly competitions.

"Okay," Mai said with a sigh. "This is everything I know, and it's not a lot."

And with that, Mai told Azula everything that her mother had told her, her Aunt Shoma had told her, her one servant-friend had told her. She told Azula what she had experienced so far in her life, purposely leaving out a few things.

By the end of the day, when the tea was finished and the sky was nearing twilight, Azula leaned back on the cushion, taking in all that she had heard.


	14. The Art of Pleasure

By the end of the week, Azula was teaching Mai and Ty Lee about sex.

As it turned out, she didn't just go to one of the palace physicians to ask her questions about…womanhood, as she put it…but she had gone to one of the Fire Sages and had asked her about those…things. And the one Fire Sage she'd asked had told her all that she herself had learned; menstruation, sex, childbearing, childbirth, fertility, and, most importantly, the art of pleasure.

Mai hated to admit it, but she was just as wide-eyed as Ty Lee as she sat listening to Azula talk. Some of the things she was saying Mai had never dared imagined, not even in her wildest dreams.

Mai leaned forward on Azula's bed, whispering, "You can do that? But wouldn't that lead to disease or something?"

"I thought the same thing," Azula whispered back, dimming the candles a little with her breath. "But if you gargle with sea water and scrape your teeth with paste afterwords, then you shouldn't get infected."

"Are you sure?" Ty Lee asked, a look of complete and utter astonishment on her face. "That's exactly what the Fire Sage told you?"

"Yes. Exactly," Azula whispered back. "Do you honestly think I would lie to you?" she asked them.

Mai and Ty Lee's eyes met for a brief moment, both of them thinking the same thing, but they quickly answered, "No. Not about this."

"I still have a hard time believing it," Ty Lee said. "I mean, for someone to put their tongue right there…between your legs…and do that to you. Gosh…by Agni."

"Not to mention to put something like…like that into your mouth..and lick it," Mai said, her heart thundering in her chest. She put a hand over her heart, trying to control herself. She took slow deep breaths, trying not to let wicked thoughts consume her entirely. "The taste alone would be sickening…"

"I'm telling you what I heard," Azula told them. "That is a genuine aspect of it." A second later, Azula was blushing beet red.

Ty Lee turned to Mai. "Have you ever done anything like that?" she asked her.

Mai's draw dropped open and Azula laughed.

"What? I saw that you looking curious when Azula was talking about…with the hands and knees…" Ty Lee said.

Mai's mouth opened wider and her brow furrowed. She fought the urge to smack Ty Lee. Azula laughed even harder. Finally, Ty Lee put up her hands in apology and said, "Sorry. I didn't mean to put you out there like that."

Mai's expression didn't change.

"You know if you keep your mouth open like that, you'll catch a dragonfly," Azula told her, and Mai shut her mouth.

After composing herself as best she could, Mai slapped Ty Lee's knee. "Don't ask me things like that," she hissed. "What is wrong with you?"

Ty Lee only shrugged in response.

"That's not even the worst of it," Azula whispered, and they both leaned in close to her. "I was asking that Fire Sage to tell me more, and she told me about…" She paused and looked at both of them, and they were hanging onto her every word. "I made her tell me about what cut-sleeve lovers do."

Ty Lee's eyes widened and Mai tilted her head, a bit perplexed.

"Do we even want to know about this?" Mai asked Azula.

"No, probably not," Azula said. "But you're going to listen to it regardless."

"Hm," Mai said and crossed her arms.

When Mai heard what it was that cut-sleeve lovers did, her jaw dropped again, and she looked both horrified and disgusted. If Zuko ever tried to do something like that, she'd castrate him and feed it to the siamese crocodiles. She looked over at Ty Lee to see that she was just as shocked as she was.

"Would…" Ty Lee tried to say. She cleared her throat and tugged at the collar of her sleeping yukata. "Wouldn't that hurt?"

"Not to mention it would be so unsanitary," Mai said, grimacing.

"I thought the same thing," Azula said, stretching her arms and looking at a wall. "But I made her stop talking after I heard that." She put a hand to her cheek, and was relieved to feel that it wasn't burning hot. Not even a little bit. For that, she thanked Agni.

Finally, she looked back at her friends, and stretched out on the bed, enjoying the feeling of silk up against her skin. Mai and Ty Lee stretched out on the bed with her, now that they sort of had permission to do it. Ty Lee yawned and rolled onto her back, stretching out as long as she could before curling herself up like a cat.

"This bed is so cozy," Ty Lee said.

"Yeah. Real nice," Mai added stoically.

"Of course it is. It belongs to a princess," Azula replied. "I'm getting tired now. Retire to your own beds." Azula stretched and yawned, and pulled back the covers, slipping inside of them.

Mai and Ty Lee did what she said without so much as a huff, but they both didn't like being dismissed like that. They kept their complaints secret, because that's what you do when you're around royalty. They went for their overcoats, hiding their pajamas from the rest of the palace, as they both made their way to Ty Lee's room.

Mai's day clothes lay on a nearby table, neatly folded and freshly washed. Sitting on the floor beneath that was her shoes. Mai walked over, feeling the fabric. It was completely dry and ready to be worn, but she didn't much feel like putting it back on. She just stood there, rubbing the edge of her clothes, staring vacantly into space.

"Mai…?" Ty Lee asked when she noticed Mai hadn't moved in a long time.

"Yeah…?" Mai asked, still not moving.

"Are you okay?"

"Would you quit asking me that," Mai said with a pointed sigh. "I'm fine, alright?"

In all honestly, Mai's head was swimming with ideas. She'd heard things she'd never even dreamed of that night, and she was eager to try them. She imagined her and Zuko in those explicit scenes that she'd heard about, doing those things that made her look at the ground and fidget with her fingers.

She wanted to try being on her hands and knees and having him behind her; she wanted to try 'sucking the mango' and for him to taste her in return; she wanted to try it standing up, sitting down, contorted…

Her heart started to hammer in her chest as she imaged sitting on Zuko's naked lap, his erection inside her body, thrusting up into her as she grabbed onto the tea table in front of her.

The scene changed to one of them in the bathhouse, with Mai pinned up against the wall, her body pressed against Zuko's, her legs wrapped around his waist and her feet hovering in the air. Zuko's hands were on her butt, lifting her up, supporting her weight as he thrust into her.

She had to fight the urge to lick her lips or run her hand down her chest.

The art of pleasure, indeed, she thought to herself. Just mere words could have blood rushing between her legs and her heart beating rapidly. She just had to find Zuko; she wanted to do so much to him, and she closed her eyes, picturing his face in the candlelight, just above hers, his lips red from kissing her so much. She pictured his messy hair and his distant eyes, his burn scar and his withered ear. She wanted all of him, every horrible pain and every blissful dream. She wanted it all and she wanted him here with her.

"Goodbye, Ty Lee," Mai said quickly, dropping her clothes back on the table and rushing out the door.

Ty Lee smiled to herself, knowing exactly what her friend was thinking.

Mai pulled her jacket tightly over her pajamas, not wanting anyone to see her wandering the halls like that. Of course, this time of night all the servants were either asleep or doing some kind of cleaning. But there was still the occasional guard that strolled around the perimeter of the palace.

Eh, screw him, Mai thought.

She went to Zuko's door and quietly knocked on the heavy wood. She got no answer, so she knocked louder. When she still got no answer, she huffed and opened the door anyway.

"Zuko?" she whispered into the darkness.

The door closed behind her as she walked into the room, making out the silhouettes of furniture by the light of the moon. She shuffled her way over to the bed, and whispered his name again. Nothing.

With another sigh, she leaned down and put her hand on the mattress, only to be met with emptiness. She slid her hand back and forth across the mattress, from end to end. Zuko wasn't there.

Mai stepped back from the bed, wondering where he might have gone to.

She looked around his dark room. It was big, and it had a wide balcony. There were only two candles still left burning, and they were almost dead, but she could see it all just fine. Zuko was gone. And who knew how long it would be before he came back?

All her happy anticipation drained out of her body as she sat down on the edge of the bed. She knew she wasn't going to wait up all night for him, but she didn't have the energy to do much else right at that moment. Only sit there in the dark and stare at her feet.

When she did get the energy to move, she went out to the balcony and sat on one of the cushioned seats and stared up at the moon. She blinked, trying to fight off sleep. She felt so empty.

And all this for some boy, she thought bitterly. Even with her love for Zuko, she felt like some silly schoolgirl, chasing after some fairytale ending where they would kiss and love would conquer everything. Not even the beauty of the calm moon and vast array of stars could soothe her wary mind.

"I should get back to Ty Lee," Mai muttered to herself, but she made no attempt to move. "Gonna get up now," Mai told herself, but she didn't do that either. Damn her years of sitting still and quiet, 'like a proper young girl should.'

She was just about to lay down, flat on her back, when a sudden burst of orange light caught her attention. It was gone as quick as it appeared, as quick as a flash of lightning, and Mai began to doubt that she had even seen anything.

But there it was again; that glowing orange light in the distant, so faint in the dark, but bright enough for her to see.

Mai's heart sped up. She stood up, going over to the edge of the balcony and leaning on the railing, trying to get a better look.

"Zuko…?" she said.

The more she watched that flicker of orange light off in the distant, the more sure that was who it was.

"Zuko," she said assuredly.

With a grin, she climbed over the railing and leapt into the branch of a nearby tree, swinging from branch to branch until she was down on the ground. Like a shadow, she escape from inside the palace walls to the outside gardens, past the winding stone streets and noble houses, to the outer rim of the caldera, where thick trees sprouted up towards the sky and boulders littered the pathways and soft black soil covered in thick soft grass covered the ground.

When Mai saw him, he had two broadswords in either hand, jumping up from a boulder and launching himself into the air, kicking fire out of his foot as he grunted and yelled. He landed flat on his feet, crouching close to the ground, before leaping up and swiping at the air, slicing an imaginary enemy into thirds.

Zuko spun around, broadswords swishing in the air, and he was just about to kick another torrent of fire into the air when he saw Mai watching him.

His foot stomped back down to the ground, the fire in his sole lost. The grass beneath his foot simmered.

"Mai?" he asked. "What are you doing out here?"

"Taking a moonlit stroll to lift my spirits," she said sarcastically.

His broadswords lowered to his sides, and he stood there staring at her. He could only hold her gaze for so long before he had to drop it down to the ground. There were black and brown patches on the thick grass where his fire had singed the ground, but luckily nothing out here had caught fire.

He may still have felt like a traitor, and he may have definitely been a liar, but he wasn't an arsonist. Not anymore.

"Why are you here, Mai?" he asked her, not lifting his eyes to meet hers.

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied.

Zuko lifted his eyes to glare at her. Mai brushed off the glare as nothing. It wasn't his first glare and she knew that it wouldn't be his last. She took a deep breath, holding it for a second before sighing it away.

Honestly, did he have to be so agitated all the time?

"Zuko," Mai said softly, and walked over to him.

As she stepped into the moonlight, Zuko noticed the fact that she was wearing nothing more than a kimono coat and a yukata. She wasn't even wearing shoes. His eyes widened as he wondered what exactly she was doing out here dressed in nothing more than that.

Mai stopped when she was only a foot away from him. She looked at him softly, her eyes not judging or measuring him up, just looking at him in the moonlight. He didn't look peaceful, but he didn't look concentrated.

Normally, when he practiced his forms, he had the look of determination and concentration on his face, mixed with happiness and eager anticipation. But not tonight. There was something brewing underneath his skin, and she wanted to peel back all the layers until she could see it.

"Look at me," Mai told him, and put her hand beneath his chin. She lifted his face up, making him look her squarely in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mai," Zuko said suddenly, and dropped his gaze again.

"Why are you sorry?" Mai asked, her brows furrowing.

"Because I know I haven't been the best boyfriend. Because I've been angry a lot. Because I haven't been spending enough time with you. Because I'm not the person I should be." He sighed, and closed his eyes, his face directed at the ground. His grip on his broadswords tightened, and then he relaxed again. He opened his eyes slowly, but his thoughts still darkened the world around him.

"Yeah, you haven't been the best," Mai said. When she saw Zuko's scowl deepen, she stepped closer to him and put a hand on his cheek. "No one's the best, Zuko. Everyone is flawed."

"I know that…" Zuko said. "But it's more than that."

"Then what?" Mai asked, dropping her hands back to her sides.

He shook his head. "I don't know."

Mai frowned, taking him all in. She had to face reality sooner or later; the Zuko standing in front of her wasn't the same Zuko from her memories. But she still wanted him.

Besides, it's not like she was that same little girl either. She was dark and bitter and morose and dull. She knew that just like she knew that water was wet and fire was hot. It's not the way she wanted to be, but it was her. All of her. And she didn't know when, or if, she would ever change.

"Zuko," she whispered, and their eyes met. "I…lo…" She couldn't bring herself to say the words. And even if she did, would it even make a difference? "I want you to be happy," she told him, and put her hand up to his cheek.

Zuko closed his eyes, his brows still knitted together, his head leaning into her touch. Mai moved her fingertips up until she touched the border of his scar. Zuko didn't pull away, but his eyes slid open to watch her. Mai lightly ran her thumb over the edge of his eye, and Zuko pulled back.

"I want to be happy, too!" he snapped. "But—I—just—don't—know—how!" he shouted, swinging his broadswords in the air with every word he uttered.

Mai swallowed her tenderness that she'd been wanting to share with him. Clenching her jaw, she ran around him, kicking him in the air, making him drop one of his swords. As quick as lightning, she picked it up from the ground, swinging it above her head and then pointing it right in front of her.

Zuko spun around to face her, shocked and bewildered, his arm still throbbing with pain.

"If you want to fight your way to happiness," Mai said, jabbing the tip of the sword at him, "then let's fight."


	15. The Art of the Blade

Zuko smirked. Honestly, the thought of sword-fighting thrilled him. He knew she could throw a knife, darts, throwing stars, and all sorts of concealed weapons. What he really wanted to know was how well she handled a sword.

Mai smirked back at him, a glint of mischief in her dark eyes.

Zuko waited for her to charge. Mai stood there, as still as a statue, watching him intently. He still looked a bit confused, but he was eager for the fight just the same. Mai watched his feet as Zuko shifted his weight back and forth between them, ready to strike. 

Quick as a flash of lightning, she leapt forward in the air, the sword driving straight at his sternum. Zuko side stepped her, bringing his sword up to protect him. The metal clanged together, the sharpened edges scraping up against each other and sounding like nails on a chalkboard.

Zuko stepped backwards, sword pointed in front of him as Mai spun around to face him again, mirroring his own stance. She leapt forward again, jabbing and stabbing at him and having each jab blocked by a swipe of his sword.

When Zuko’s sword came dangerously close to slashing her abdomen, she stepped back, panting hard, calculating how to go about this.

She was used to her throwing knives, so she kept lunging at Zuko, trying to beat him with that familiar motion. She watched him closely, noting how he used a wide, sweeping motion with his blade. He only used defensive movements so far, but she could see that they would be deadly too.

Cautiously this time, she stepped forward, her sword still pointed directly towards him, and took another stab at him. His sword swept up to defend himself and Mai retracted the sword, pulling far enough away to swipe down his chest, slicing open his top. 

Zuko staggered back and kicked his foot upwards, his ankle slamming into Mai’s wrist. Pain raced through her arm, but she didn’t drop the sword. 

Zuko kicked at her again, this time spinning around, low to the ground, trying to kick her feet front out under her. She jumped up, avoiding his kick, and took that brief moment of him having his back to her to swipe her sword down. The edge of the blade connected with his shoulder before she swung it back up, leaving only a small knick in his skin.

That was it for Zuko. No more going easy on her.

He whipped around, his sword as quick as lightning, and Mai just as fast. She may not have been trained to use a sword, but she could fight just as well as he could.

Their swords clashed together, their movements a bit careless, their footwork a bit sloppy, their two different forms mixing together. Mai jabbed; Zuko slashed. Mai slashed; Zuko jabbed. Zuko fought her back, putting her on the defensive, backing her up into a line of rocks and trees.

Mai saw the trick, though, and with quick kick to his arm, she twirled around him, putting his back to the rocks and trees. 

Zuko switched arms.

Now Mai had to learn to defend herself on her other side. 

Zuko was just as skilled with his other hand, and soon he had Mai backing into a tree again. Mai fought him hard, trying out all the new tricks that she had learned from watching him. But she kept reverting back to her trusting throwing and stabbing motion. A thrusting motion with the sword was difficult to block, but Zuko kept side stepping it easily. 

Mai knew that if she had had her smaller, faster knives, he would have been defeated by now. She thought that that same principle might apply with her sword. Throw it. 

Mai waited until Zuko stood directly in front of a tree, and she flung the sword at him, using all her might and skill. The sword was meant to pierce through his sleeve and pin him to the tree, but the sword was too slow, and it buried itself into the tree without Zuko pinned with it.

Now she was sword-less against Zuko. The fight would be over very soon. 

She fended him off for as long as she could without any weapons. She tried to remember what Ty Lee had showed her about chi blocking and paralyzing body parts, but each time she jabbed Zuko’s arm, it had no effect.

Eventually, she would have to admit defeat.

When her back hit the rough bark of a tree, she knew that it was over. Zuko held the edge of the blade close to her throat, and Mai froze. “You won,” she said. 

Zuko didn’t say anything; didn’t do anything. He just stood there silently, breathing hard, a vague smile on his face that was fading as the adrenaline wore off.

A smile crossed Mai’s face. “No, I won,” she corrected herself.

“What?” Zuko asked. “No you didn’t! I won! I’ve got you pinned against a tree!”

“I know,” Mai said, her smile growing even wider.

Zuko still didn’t get it. “Then why would you say you’ve won?” he asked her. 

She wasn’t sure if he was more confused or…

No. Nevermind. He was completely confused. 

Mai put a hand on his hand, making him lower the sword. She took it from his hand and stabbed it into the ground. Zuko was still looking at her like the clueless cutie that he was. Mai reached for his shirt and pulled him towards her, pressing her body up against his. But it wasn’t until she kissed him that he understood what she meant. 

“Oh,” he muttered against Mai’s lips.

“Yeah, oh,” Mai muttered back, barely even thinking. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Zuko, pulling him into her, and he finally returned the actions. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her passionately…like there would be no tomorrow. 

“Zuko,” she whispered, and ran her nails down along his spine. That only made him hold her tighter.

When Mai pushed her hips up against his, moving them back and forth, Zuko became more daring. He let his hands slide down her back and grip the curve of her butt before returning his hands to her hips. With Mai’s guidance, though, he put his hands back down on her rear, and she kissed him again.

When Mai shrugged off her coat, Zuko stopped her.

“What’s wrong?” she asked him, only slightly annoyed. 

“Well…we’re here,” Zuko said, glancing around.

“Nice observation,” Mai shot back. “And what’s wrong with here?”

“Someone could see,” Zuko snapped. “Did that ever occur to you?”

Mai sighed, trying not to say something worse back at him. She sighed again, this time letting her breath out slowly. When she looked back at Zuko, his expression had relaxed a bit. “Zuko,” Mai said, “at least kiss me.”

Zuko leaned down, his lips brushing up against hers. 

Mai closed her eyes, opening up her mouth to him, only to have him just continue to lightly kiss her on the lips. Mai closed her mouth and slid her eyelids open a sliver, watching him. Zuko had closed his eyes and was absent-mindedly kissing her, letting his lips brush against her skin.

Her eyes slid closed again. She wrapped her arms around him, her fingers playing with his hair, pushing against his neck to pull him in closer to her.

Zuko’s hands touched her, felt her through her robes, his fingers sliding over the bumps of her ribs, cupping the soft sides of her breasts. His thumb traveled up her neck, rested on her cheek, stroked her temple. 

Mai’s breath slid over his skin as she played with his hair, and when she pushed on his back. Zuko’s kisses went deeper, kissing her like he meant it. Like they were on a date like any other young couple and they were finishing the night.

But who knew how long the night would last for them.

One simple moodswing could end it all. But it didn’t. The night stretched on. 

Zuko’s fingers curled in his hair as sweet, sweet bliss captured his heart. Mai’s toes pointed as her breath caught in her throat, able to feel nothing but his lips against her skin. Only one word left her parted lips, cracked and breathy: “Zuko.”

As the moon watched over them, high in the sky, Zuko whispered in Mai’s ear, “Wrap your legs around me. Pull me in, pull me in, pull me in.”

The words ’I love you,’ were about to slip from Mai’s lips, but she stopped herself with a kiss. As Zuko’s lips met hers, she told him what she couldn’t say with the way her tongue twisted and her hands felt him and the glimmer in her eyes. She only hoped he could understand what she was telling him. 

Zuko understood perfectly. He touched his forehead up against hers, whispering her name, chanting it like a mantra. 

The smell of cinnamon and cloves and musk was in the air just then. Mai recognized the smell from her and Zuko’s previous nights. She said nothing; Zuko said everything with only three words.

Mai smiled, and Zuko said she looked more beautiful than the stars just then.

Mai blushed and giggled, and shook her head. “I love you too,” Mai whispered, and her nails left scratches down his back.


	16. The Summer Solstice Approaches

In a week, it would be the summer solstice; the most important celebration in the Fire Nation. Already, banners were being strung, gilded decorations lined every house and street, the smell of incense was thick in the air, and thousands of candles were burning everywhere Mai looked. Images of the sun were on everything. Fire Sages walked around, more active now that people sought their blessings and advice.

"I don't see the use of them," Azula said, watching as a small group of Fire Sages dispersed incense throughout the streets. "They're nothing but old relics of the past. Not even worthy of such high prestige."

"Gee, what makes you say that?" Ty Lee asked innocently.

Mai fought the urge to roll her eyes. Seriously, why did she hang out with these two so much? Ty Lee was annoying and Azula was manipulative…of course, she wasn't perfect either. Who else but these two would put up with her constant negativity and dullness and complaining and…

She stopped herself from thinking about it too much. The voice sounded suspiciously like Azula's voice…or worse, her mother's voice. She couldn't remember which of them had planted those horrible thoughts into her mind. She compromised by scorning them both.

"Don't you see, Ty Lee?" Azula asked her, crossing her arms. "The Fire Sages are nothing but superstitious straw men, pretending that they're the only thing standing between us and the spirit world. It's pathetic how much people believe in them."

"Oh, nonsense," Ty Lee said with a wave of her hand. "They've gotta serve some purpose. Something pretty important too, I bet."

"You bet wrong," Azula told her. "People waste their time and energy on them. They schemed their way into power, put their temples next to the palace, and said that they were holy without anyone to question them."

"But Azula, didn't you go to a Fire Sage to ask her about…something you didn't know about?" Ty Lee asked her, putting her hand to her chin. "Not to mention, you've schemed your way into power before. Like Ba Sing Se! We never would have triumphed without your cunning! Your scheming saved us!"

"Yes, well…" was all Azula could say in return.

"I'm going for a walk," Mai announced, pushing herself away from the wall she had been leaning against. "You two are boring me."

"Mai? Bored? How unusual," Azula mocked. "Who would have guessed?"

Mai sighed, rolled her eyes, and then walked away from them, pretending that she felt nothing. Pretending that Azula's little jabs were just jokes with nothing sinister behind them. 'You're reading too far into this,' said a little voice in her head, and this time she knew that voice was her mother's.

The palace was ablaze with activity. Nobles streamed in and out of the hallways and luxurious chambers, servants had decorated the entire palace in preparation for the solstice, and even the sun seemed to be more active, bedazzling the walls and floors with its golden rays.

Mai just needed to get out of there. Too many people; too much chaos.

She went out to the gardens, where it was almost completely quiet. She sat down by the turtle duck pond, where a hundred old childhood memories had taken place. She sat down and watched them, swimming and diving, looking for food and enjoying the daytime. New baby chicks had just hatched, and the tiny little turtle ducks were following their mother around as though they were tied up.

Mai didn't have any food for them, but they looked at her expectantly anyway. Some even swam closer to her, daring to get without a few feet of her and quaking at her. She held out her hands; she had nothing to give them. In the end, they swam away disappointed.

She sighed and leaned back on her hands. Above her, the sky was bright blue and filled with thin, wispy clouds. The summer sun was hot on her skin, and she dabbed at her forehead with her sleeve.

Ty Lee came cartwheeling over to her. "I thought you were going for a walk," she said.

"I did go for a walk," Mai replied, not bothering to look at her.

"Mai, you've been sitting here for over an hour. Sitting is not walking," Ty Lee said, putting her hands on her hips and giggling.

"But I walked over here," Mai said. "So technically, I walked."

"If you say so," Ty Lee replied. With an exaggerated sigh, she stretched out her limbs and fell flat back onto the ground, staring up at the sky with a wide smile. "Pretty clouds," Ty Lee said.

"Yeah. Beautiful," Mai mumbled. A minute ticked by before Mai asked, "Why aren't you with Azula?"

"I don't know," Ty Lee said. "Conference or meeting or something like that…"

"Maybe she just didn't want to talk to you anymore," Mai said. "I know I wouldn't."

Ty Lee brushed off the insult with a laugh. "Oh Mai!" she said, swatting her hand at Mai. "You always have to have a comeback…" Her smile faded, but she brushed off her gloom with another big smile. "Pretty exciting, right?"

"What?" Mai asked her. "What's exciting?"

"The Summer Solstice Celebration!" Ty Lee said. "Even if the Fire Sages are kind of a downer, the celebration is still plenty of fun!" Ty Lee sat up straight, crossing her legs and shifting closer to Mai. "Remember how fun it was when we were kids? All those candles and incense sticks and sparklers, and the fireworks in the middle of the day and at night, and all those sweet smelling foods, and the rivers would be lit up with thousands of lanterns, and the sky would be filled with paper lanterns, and people would sprinkle themselves with gold, and…"

"YES, TY LEE! I REMEMBER!" Mai shouted at her.

Ty Lee went quiet and Mai felt a pang of guilt. She glanced around to see that a couple of servants were watching them. When Mai made eye contact with them, though, they went straight back to what they were doing, pretending that they hadn't seen or heard anything.

"So what is her meeting about?" Mai asked Ty Lee.

"I'm not sure. I know they've got a big, important war meeting coming up soon, but this wasn't it," Ty Lee replied. "It's probably something political…maybe."

"Yeah…probably," Mai mumbled.

With a heavy sigh, Ty Lee rolled backwards onto her feet. "Well, seems to me like you wanna be left alone," she said, brushing her clothes off. "So…goodbye I guess."

"Ty Lee," Mai sighed, rising to her feet with her. "I'm…sorry…for snapping at you."

Ty Lee smiled at her. "Hey, don't worry about it! We've all been a bit testy…being cooped up around here and all," she said. "I don't know about you, but I kinda miss traveling the world…hunting for the Avatar and fighting all those cute boys…and a couple of cute girls, too…"

"Yeah. Thrilling."

"Ugh! I just need to get out of here! It's so boring! We need that celebration! All of us!" Ty Lee said, balling her hands into fists and throwing them down towards her hips. "I miss the circus."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"You're going to celebrate with me, right?!" Ty Lee asked, leaning close to Mai's face and looking at her like a hungry tigerdillo.

"Sure. Why not?" Mai replied.

Ty Lee backflipped away from her and then plopped down on the ground again, cross-legged, her face resting on her hand, staring blankly at the turtle duck pond. "I don't know how much longer I can stand this," Ty Lee said, shaking her head. "I need something…"

Mai put a hand on Ty Lee's shoulder. "Let's get out of here," she suggested. "I don't much like it in here, either."

"Yeah," Ty Lee said. "Let's get out of here."

xoxo

No one seemed satisfied. Something was itching in the back of everyone's mind and rattling around inside their chests. Even Mai could feel it…something was coming…something was about to happen.

The Fire Sages always said the the Summer Solstice was incredibly spiritual, and that the time surrounding it was when people became restless. It was a time of change and awakening and discovery. Azula could deride them as much as she wanted, and the Fire Lord could devalue them even more, but the Fire Sages weren't going away. Neither were their traditions.

Mai fiddled with her throwing knives, spinning them around and around on the tips of her fingers, and then sinking them into nearby trees with so much force that they nearly disappeared into the trunks. Angry birds and panda squirrels screamed at her for it; Mai didn't care.

"You can feel it, too," Ty Lee said. "I know you can! Just look at you!"

"Don't mention it," Mai hissed.

"Fine, Miss Pouty," Ty Lee replied.

"Don't call me that!" Mai snapped, and threw one of her throwing knives at her head. It flew right past Ty Lee's left ear, and buried itself into freshly cut wood.

"That was unnecessary," Ty Lee said, putting her hands on her hips.

She reached behind her and pulled the knife out of the wood, knocking over a cup of tea in the process. The man next to her gave her a dirty look and snatched the cup away, talking about disrespectful youth.

"Whatever," Mai snapped back.

"Don't 'whatever' me," Ty Lee said. "You don't like it when people talk to you like that! So don't talk to me like that!"

"Fine. Sorry," Mai said. She didn't really mean it. She just snatched the knife out of Ty Lee's hands and walked away, continuing her path up the cobblestone streets, avoiding the chaos of people walking this way and that.

Ty Lee huffed and chased after her…knocking over an old woman in the process. Ty Lee apologized a dozen times, helped her clean up the the mess of candles and flower petals. Just as she tried to chase after Mai, the old woman grabbed ahold of her braid, saying, "Not so fast."

She dragged Ty Lee after her, all the while Ty Lee was apologizing and trying to escape. But she held fast to her braid, and let her down the streets to wherever it was she was going.

xoxo

Zuko had probably lit a thousand candles that day, and there were a thousand more that needed to be lit. He'd made his way through the palace, lighting every candle he saw, burning every stick of incense he came across. It wasn't for the celebration; he just wanted to light stuff on fire. He needed some kind of outlet. There was something boiling inside of his stomach, and he knew exactly what it was: anticipation.

He thought of his Uncle Iroh, still in his prison cell. Back when they were out at sea together, searching for the Avatar together, his uncle had always made sure to celebrate the solstice. He'd lit incense and candles, brewed special tea, make offerings to the sun, and invite all the crew members around for a grand feast. Zuko knew that he shouldn't care about any of that now, but he did.

"Aren't you being charitable," said a familiar voice.

Great. The one person he didn't want to see right now.

He turned to look at Azula, who was leaned up against a pillar, watching him as he bent fire into those tiny candles. He didn't answer her; he went back to lighting the next few hundred candles left.

"You know, Zuko, while it is honorable to have candles bear royal fire, lighting them yourself is beneath you. That's why we have servants," Azula said, walking up next to him. She crossed her arms behind her back and watched tiny comets of flame shoot towards the candles.

"Do you let servants do everything for you?" Zuko asked.

"Servants didn't conquer Ba Sing Se," Azula replied, a smile stretching across her face. She took a deep breath, savoring the feeling of pride in her chest.

After a minute of silence, Azula asked, "You're not going to say anything?"

"What's there to say?" Zuko asked.

"Nothing, I suppose. Though you do seem to have a lot on your mind…"

"It's called thinking. Maybe you've heard of it?" Zuko snapped.

Azula rolled her eyes at him. Honestly, he could be so childish sometimes. "Fine, brood alone if you want. I was only trying to make conversation with you…"

Zuko growled as she pat him on the shoulder and then began to walk away. Then…

"Wait!" he called out. Azula paused, and turned back to look at him. She waited for him to say something. Zuko didn't know why he had told her to wait; it's not like he wanted to talk to her. But she was here, so…

"Well…?" Azula asked impatiently.

"I…why…?" He looked down at the ground, simmering with rage over his own stupidity. He'd better say something at least, or else Azula would mock him over this until the day he died. "Are…are you going to celebrate the solstice?" he asked.

"Oh, Zuko," Azula said, shaking her head. "I have to. The Royal Family is in charge of the celebration. Or have you forgotten that, Zuzu?"

"That's not what I meant," Zuko snapped. "Showing up is one thing. Are you actually going to celebrate…the proper way, and everything?"

Azula sighed, and leaned up against the closest pillar. She stared down at her shoes, and said, "The proper way is however the Royal Family decrees." She looked over at Zuko, watching him calmly. "The Fire Sages can celebrate however they choose, so long as they do not cause strife amongst the public."

"What do you have against the Fire Sages?" Zuko asked her.

"Our forefathers had a vision of a new and sophisticated Fire Nation. One that was progressive and modern, one that didn't cling to superstitious and old traditions. The Fire Sages hold us back from what we could be," Azula said. "And don't forget all the Sages who have conspired against us. Especially that one who helped the Avatar contact Roku." Azula put her hand to her chin, pretending to ponder the subject. "What was his name again?" she asked Zuko slyly.

"Shyu," Zuko answered. "Fire Sage Shyu."

"Yes, him. The traitor. Working against our nation…"

Zuko heard the uncertainty in her voice just then. He took a sidelong glance at her, sizing her up. He wasn't sure, but it seemed like Azula was almost aware that she was just repeating propaganda. After all, she had sought out advice from them before. Hell, she'd even befriended a couple of them when she was really young.

Zuko was about to say something when Azula pushed herself off the pillar and sauntered off. "Goodbye, Zuko," she said, not bothering to look back at him. She flicked her hand at him—supposedly waving goodbye—and then she was gone.

xoxo

Iroh awoke when he heard the creaking of the metal door. The heavy door slid open, and he didn't have to turn around to see who it was.

"Uncle," said a timid voice.

He said nothing. Didn't turn around to look at him. He couldn't face him…not yet. The wounds were still too raw, and his disappointment still too deep. Zuko was hesitating, but finally Iroh heard the sound of footsteps approaching. He glanced over his shoulder, and he saw the dark robe that Zuko wore.

"Uncle…the solstice is soon…" Zuko said.

He knew the solstice was soon…he could feel it in his blood, in his bones, and in his spirit. With every breath he took, he could feel the nearing of the summer solstice with each passing day, the sun rising higher and higher to its zenith.

"I know how you liked to celebrate…back on the ship…and all those other times too…"

Iroh still continued to say nothing. But hearing Zuko talk like that, that he remembered their time together so fondly… If only he hadn't fallen back to Ozai. Ozai didn't deserve a son like him. Ozai didn't deserve half the things given to him.

"I…I brought you something…" Zuko said.

Iroh heard the metallic ping of a platter being set on the ground, and then the skidding as the platter was pushed towards him. He waited. And waited. And waited some more.

"You're not going to say anything?" Zuko asked. He already knew the answer. His uncle never said anything to him. Not anymore. "Fine! Be like that. Happy Solstice! You've got everything you need to celebrate."

With that, Zuko left, the metal door shutting behind him. It wasn't slammed like it normally was. He was starting to see, staring to understand.

Iroh turned around and approached the bars, looking at what Zuko had left. It was a golden platter, filled with candles and incense, a steaming cup of tea, offerings for the sun, and bits of spices and flower petals all mixed together in a metal cup. Even gold was on the platter, in the form of powder and paint. Strips of paper with dragons drawn on them laid underneath it all, waiting for him to burn.

Iroh smiled to himself. It was everything traditional, everything that was needed in ancient practice, right down to the to the often-forgotten dragon paper.

Iroh smiled to himself. Zuko was ready to know the truth. He pulled the platter into the cell with him and sipped the tea slowly. Jasmine. His favorite.


	17. Atar, the Fire Sage

"Dinner time, Iroh," said Ming as she brought in his plate of food. "This time, I snuck in some Butterfly Pea Tea and an extra bowl of rice," she whispered.

"Thank you, Ming," Iroh said, sliding the food into his prison cell. "This tea smells exquisite. And the extra rice is much appreciated." Iroh took a swig of tea, savoring the flavor and the heat. "Such a sweet flavor."

Ming smiled at him. "I'm glad you like it. My father really liked that tea, so I thought you would too."

"I appreciate you consideration, Ming. Such a kindness is never wasted," he said and took another sip of tea.

Ming stood up to leave, but Iroh stopped her. "Ming, I have a request."

"A request?" she asked. "What is it?"

"I want to speak with a Fire Sage, as is my right by sacred tradition," Iroh said.

Ming didn't know what to say at first. She'd heard of that tradition before, but she'd never heard of anyone invoking it. But, it was his right. She nodded and said, "I'll put in the request. Is there anyone in particular you want to speak with?"

Iroh thought for a moment, stroking his beard, before he said, "Yes. I wish to speak with Atar, an old Fire Sage and a close personal friend."

Ming nodded and smiled again. "I'll see if I can do that. Enjoy your meal."

xoxo

It was midnight when Atar finally came to visit him. Iroh was sitting up, awake, waiting for him. The metal door slid open, and in walked the old Fire Sage, a limp in his step but his eyes still full of life.

"Iroh," said Atar upon seeing him. "It's good to see you old friend, though not like this. Never like this."

"It is good to see you, too, Atar, even in these conditions," Iroh replied. "How long has it been? Twenty years? Twenty-three? Oh, I can't remember. Such are the conditions of age."

"You don't have to tell me," said Atar with a chuckle. He sat down on a nearby bench, groaning as his joints popped. "I know the ailments of age far too well." The two men chuckled again, shaking their heads and remembering when they were younger, their bodies healthier and stronger.

"So, I was told that you wanted to speak to me, per ancient right?" Atar said.

"Yes, Atar. It is about my nephew, and the Catacombs," Iroh said, leaning forward. Atar leaned forward, too, hanging onto Iroh's every word. "I need you to write a letter to my nephew, telling him about his destiny."

"His destiny," Atar said, stroking his beard. "That is easier said than done. A person's destiny is a complicated thing. It may be impossible to predict."

"Not at all," Iroh said. "All the words are already there, he just needs to find them."

Atar shook his head and smiled. "Iroh, I swear… Sometimes your riddles make sense to no one but you."

"Oh, come now. There's too many people for no one else to know," Iroh replied. "Atar, old friend, Zuko needs to know the secret history of his grandfather. It lies within the Dragon Bones Catacombs. In the seventh chamber, in the Western side of the halls."

"Western?" Atar asked. "Where they store death records? I would think that a young man's destiny would be more in the East, near birth records and the wills of young people."

"It is about his grandfather," Iroh repeated. "Of course it would be in the West."

"Ah, yes," said Atar. "I suppose that fact just slipped my mind. Ah, such are the ailments of old age."

"Don't be so negative," Iroh told Atar. "Growing old is a privilege, one that not many people get to have." His breath caught in his throat as he thought of Lu Ten and his wife. Neither of them would reach old age, and he was so lonely without them. So empty. Whenever they crossed his mind, his heart would ache and his throat would hurt as he tried to breathe past the lump.

"Yes, I suppose that is so," Atar said.

Noticing Iroh's sadness, Atar said, "So—about this letter you need me to write?"

"It must be sent in secret, and no one can know who sent it, or when," Iroh said, the tears disappearing from his eyes. "And please, do not be so obvious about it. Zuko is a smart young man, he can decode what I trust you to write."

Atar nodded. "Write a secret letter to the prince, telling him of his grandfather, with scrolls in the Catacombs, and hope that no one notices or discovers me." He sighed. "Again, easier said than done."

"Please, old friend," Iroh said. "I trust you can do it, just as I trust you with my life and my secrets. Do this poor old man this one favor. The fate of the world may depend on it."

"Ah, yes. The fate of the world. No pressure at all with something so heavy on my shoulders," Atar said. "You always were one for dramatics, Iroh." With a groan, Atar stood up. "Yes, I will do as you ask Iroh. I'll get to writing the prince a letter as soon as I can, and I'll make sure that no one notices or suspects."

Iroh smiled up at him. "Thank you my friend." Iroh reached down onto the Solstice platter that Zuko had given him, and picked up a single incense stick. "Here," he said, holding it out for him to take. "As a token of my gratitude."

Atar took the incense stick from Iroh's hand and smiled at it, placing it close to his heart and breathing deep.

"Your generosity is much appreciated," Atar said.

With that, Iroh was left alone in his prison cell.


	18. The Summer Solstice

Zuko could feel it in his blood when he awoke; the Summer Solstice had begun.

Outside in the distance, he could hear some people clapping and cheering, and most likely throwing golden flower petals into the air. They had stayed up all night waiting for the sun to rise; he, on the other hand, had taken a much more sensible route and decided to sleep.

Not that it had helped much; he was having more restless nights. Sure, he might have gotten a couple of hours of shut eye, but more often than not he was tossing and turning on his bed, trying to get comfortable, trying to fall asleep but having no luck. So, when the rising sun woke him up so early in the morning, his response was to roll over and fall back asleep.

Not that that lasted long, either.

There was a knock at the door, and a second later it creaked open. "Prince Zuko, sir?" said the voice of a servant.

Zuko lifted his head up. "Hello, Avi," Zuko mumbled. "What do you want?"

"This is your wake up call for this morning, Prince Zuko. Today is the Summer Solstice, sir."

"Right," Zuko grumbled. "Fine, I'm getting up. Close the door."

"As you wish, Prince Zuko," the servant said, and closed the door behind him.

Zuko sat on the edge of his bed for a long time, his head in his hands, elbows on his knees. The higher the sun rose, the more awake he was, and eventually he was able to pull himself from his bed and into the bathing room. Sunlight streamed in through the slats in the walls, illuminating the warm stone covering the floor. He poured cool water over his head and scrubbed his skin with sandalwood and sea water.

There was a distant knocking and then another knocking, right on the door to the bathing room.

"What?!" Zuko snapped.

"Prince Zuko, sir, you are requested in the Temple of the Rising Sun," said the familiar voice of Avi, the servant.

"Why?" Zuko asked. He hadn't been there since he was four years old and his mother had taken him. Well, carried him there against his will.

"I…I'm not sure, your highness… I did not ask why."

Zuko groaned and slammed the cup of water down on the floor, shattering the pottery in the process. Outside, Avi stiffened hearing the noise. He didn't want to be on the bad end of one of Zuko's moods. He waited quietly, barely breathing, for the prince to say something.

"Tell them I'll be there when I get there," Zuko shouted at him.

"As you command, your highness," Avi said, and rushed out of the prince's rooms.

It was long past sunrise when Zuko finally arrived. He barely remembered the place, but he didn't have a hard time finding it. It was a grand temple adorned with gold and red and bearing symbols of the dragons, the sun, the first fire (whatever that meant), and even the royal crest. Inside, a huge fire was roaring in the center of the room, bathing everyone in its intense heat.

Zuko dabbed at his forehead as he felt sweat start to bead on his skin.

"Welcome, Prince Zuko," said an elderly Fire Sage. "We waited for you to arrive."

Across the room, Zuko saw his sister leaning against a wall, arms crossed and glaring at him. What's her problem? he wondered. But then again, he often wondered that.

"Someone wanted to see me?" Zuko asked.

"Yes, your highness," said the Fire Sage, placing a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "It has been long since we last had a member of the royal family present here on the day of the solstice. Your presence is much appreciated."

"Why's she here?" Zuko asked, looking over at his sister.

"Why else? Someone asked me to be here," Azula said, walking over to him. She stopped right in front of him and crossed her arms again. "I wanted to know what they wanted, so I came."

"Sure, whatever you say, sis," Zuko snickered.

Azula scowled at him, and he merely gave her a small smirk in return.

"We have gifts for you each," said the Fire Sage. Both of them went quiet at that. The Fire Sage walked over to the great roaring fire, and took a small bit of flame from it, the flames hovering in each of his palms. "For you," he said, offering the fire to them.

"We know how to bend fire," Azula told him. "Some better than others," she said with a smirk. Zuko side-eyed her.

"This is no ordinary fire," said the Fire Sage. "This is sacred fire. It is symbolic. We want you two to carry it out to the people, where they can take it for themselves. Benders and non-benders alike can share in this sacred fire, passed through with candles and breath and hands. Fire is the life blood of our glorious nation. Please, give our nation something great for today."

Azula took the fire from the Fire Sage's hand first, holding it in her palm carefully, observing it with suspicious, narrowed eyes. Zuko took the fire from his other palm. It felt as normal as any other fire he bent. What was so special about this?

"I thank you both, Prince Zuko and Princess Azula, for your help in our celebration," the Fire Sage said, and bowed low to both of them.

"Don't mention it," Azula mumbled.

"Yeah," Zuko mumbled. "Thanks for the fire…Mister Fire Sage…sir…"

"Please," said the Fire Sage with a kindly smile. "Call me Atar."

xoxo

The Summer Solstice was nowhere near as fun as any of the four of them remembered.

Ty Lee sulked all day long, no matter what was happening. Not even painting her face with golden suns helped to raise her spirits. She looked like a glittery, morose clown.

"Ty Lee, you must cheer up. You're bringing everyone else down," Azula said.

"But I can't! This celebration is just no fun! People used to dance and sing and light fire crackers and kid around all day!" Ty Lee said.

"That's because that's what kids do," Azula told her, crossing her arms. "You're not a kid anymore. This is probably the way its always been."

"Aw," Ty Lee said, slumping a little.

Mai looked at Zuko and sighed. Zuko rolled his eyes in response. Azula glared at them out of the side of her eye before turning back to Ty Lee.

"Well, you'd better get used to it," Azula told her. "It's not like you can go back. Just amuse yourself and stop being so down."

Ty Lee perked up suddenly. "Oh my goodness! You're right, Azula!"

"What?"

"What?"

"What?"

"Over there!" Ty Lee said pointing.

They all looked over. All they saw were kids playing with paper dragons and firebending small wisps of flame, and adults drinking warm saké together, chatting and laughing and just shooting the breeze.

"What's so good about that?" Mai asked.

"No no, beyond that!"

Before anyone could ask what the hell she meant, Ty Lee went skipping off, and then cartwheeling off, her anklets jingling as she went. The three of them all looked at each other, completely bamboozled over Ty Lee's behavior. All they could do was shrug and move on.

When Mai and Zuko began kissing and rubbing up against each other, Azula didn't stick around. Being a third wheel was bad enough, but the sight of those two kissing made her want to gag. So she wandered off, leaving the royal city behind her and heading back into the palace. She heard a certain spa calling her name.

Mai and Zuko kissed. They kissed and kissed and kissed until Zuko broke away.

"Wanna get out of the city?" he asked her.

"Yes. Very much so," she replied.

Together, they walked arm and arm through the Capitol City, avoiding the sparse crowd as much as they could. It seemed fairly easy…too easy for a celebration like this. They passed a group of children playing with sparklers and shooting fireballs at each other. They passed a group of elders drinking tea and saké and breathing in incense like there was no tomorrow. They passed a group of teenagers who sat by a tree, trying to look cool and detached, drinking saké and wearing far too much gold jewelry.

The edge of the caldera loomed ahead of them. The sun was disappearing the closer they got to the rim, and there they entered a shadow. It was nice and cool in the shade, and Mai unclasped her long vest, savoring the slight breeze that felt like chilled, fresh water against her skin.

They emerged from the Northern side, and entered the mountainside city that was so close to being in the caldera. The houses were still grand and noble, and old temples and luxurious gardens spread across the landscape. But here the city was more spread out, not confined and cage in by the rims of the old volcano.

"Are we here or is there someplace more specific you had in mind?" Mai asked Zuko.

"More specific," he told her, and gave her a dorky smile. "We're almost there. Just about a half mile away or so."

"It should be closer," Mai said. "All this sunshine and heat…it's horrible."

"You're cute when you do that," Zuko said, leaning in close to her face.

"Do what?" Mai asked.

"Hate things. It's so endearing…" he replied.

"You think so?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"Because it just is," Zuko said. "What does everything have to be an issue with you?"

"It's not an issue," Mai said, somewhat hurt. "I just want to know…"

Zuko saw that he had obviously hurt her. Oh. Great. Now he felt like both an idiot and a jerk. He said, "I'm sorry…I wasn't thinking…"

"Clearly," Mai said.

Zuko sighed. Why was he so fucking stupid?

"Come on," he told Mai, dragging her along with him. "I'll make it up to you. Where we're going will be really nice."

Mai rolled her eyes and looked away, but still she walked with him, arm and arm, following him to his mystery romantic place.

After half a mile of silence, they arrived. A fountain. A fairly large fountain, with water spraying high in the air and landing in a vast pool of clear water. Stone dragons surrounded the fountain, some of them spitting the water from their maws. Around the fountain was an array of stone gazebos and lush grass and short, thin trees. About a hundred people were at the fountain, but it was big enough that it felt like only small gathering.

"Well, do you like it?" Zuko asked her.

"Yes," Mai said. "It's nice."

She walked over and sat on the edge of the pool, hanging her legs over the edge and bored-ly watching the water cascading from the outer rocks.

Zuko sat down next to her, and took her hand in his. "I thought you'd like it," he said, trying to be as cheerful as possible. "It's nice and quiet…and calming…and romantic…" He looked at her hopefully. She still didn't crack a smile. With a sigh, he said, "Listen, Mai. I'm sorry about what I said back there. I just…I'm just an idiot."

"I know," Mai said.

He wasn't even mad at that. After all, how could she not know by now? He felt like an idiot lots of times. He didn't know why, but ever since he had come home from his banishment, he felt like the King of Fools, and he didn't know why.

Zuko leaned his head on Mai's shoulder, and she leaned back into him. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, counted to ten, exhaled slowly, and opened her eyes again. Zuko was still next to her, the water was still in front of her, the sun still high in the sky.

"I forgive you," Mai said at last. She felt Zuko smile.

"Thanks a bunch," he said. Then he immediately wanted to slap himself for saying that. Thanks a bunch? Of all the things to say, why did he have to pick that?

Mai closed her eyes and kissed Zuko on the cheek. Heat rose to his face, and he was sure he was blushing bright red by now. A giddy smile crossed his face as he looked down at her, resting her head against his shoulder, and his smile softened to one of genuine love and happiness.

"This is very peaceful," Mai mumbled. "I can see why you like it here."

"Yeah, it's pretty great," he said.

"The water is pretty," Mai said as she opened her eyes. "And it's quiet. Surprisingly quiet."

"Not a lot of people celebrating today," Zuko said. "It's probably even quieter on other days."

"We'll have to see," Mai said. "We can come back here another day, another time…whenever. I…I don't hate it here."

"I'm glad to here that," Zuko whispered to her.

Mai's heart started pounding when he kissed the top of her head. Sitting upright, she looked at him, cupping his face in her hands. She stroked his cheek with her thumb, and looked into his eyes. Golden…amber…fiery…

How could she describe them? The color was beautiful, but it was the emotion in them, the intensity in his gaze, that completely enraptured her.

His eyes slid closed, his lips parted, he leaned forward. Mai met his lips with a kiss, savoring the feeling of them together. Zuko's hand came to rest on her side, sliding beneath her long vest and his fingers bunching the red silk.

"Mai," Zuko whispered, his voice vibrating again her lips.

With that one word, her heart was now pounding, her blood now heated, her insides fluttering with excitement. She smiled as he kissed her, which made him smile in return. Mai put her hands at the back of his neck and pulled him in closer, pushing his chest up against hers.

"You're warm," Zuko whispered.

"I…" Mai didn't know how to respond to that.

Zuko wiped a sleeve across his forehead, and she saw that he was starting to sweat. They'd been in the sun for so long. Mai didn't realize how hot she was until that moment. She'd thought it was just her getting hot for him…somehow she'd completely forgotten about the sun.

"Let's get into the shade," she suggested, and stood up.

When she stood up, she felt her thighs rub together, and she realized then how aroused she had become. She felt wetness coating her labia and thighs. She could just imagine him reaching down to feel how wet she'd become, his fingers gliding through her slick thighs.

The shade did little to cool her down. Especially since she was thinking those thoughts.

"You're aroused, aren't you?" Zuko asked, his voice a whisper.

"How can you tell?" Mai asked.

"I just can," he whispered. "I mean…we've been doing this for a couple months now. I pick up things."

Mai leaned in close to him, and whispered in his ear, "So does that mean I can sleep with you tonight?"

"No," Zuko said, without even thinking.

"No?" Mai asked, bamboozled by his answer. "Why not?"

"I mean yes," he said.

"Which is it?" Mai asked.

"I don't—yes. It's definitely a yes. Unless I'm tired. But you can still bunk, I mean," Zuko stammered.

Mai rolled her eyes and looked back at the fountain. In the distance, she saw Fire Sages approaching people, carrying platters of Solstice stuff. "I'll think about it," Mai said.

That was the end of that conversation. But they still cuddled for the rest of the day.

xoxo

Zuko went to his room alone that night, and was tossing and turning in bed, unable to fall asleep. His mind was far too troubled to get any decent sleep. He rolled over again and opened his eyes, sitting up and looking out at the sky. It was pretty, but it did nothing to calm his mind.

Then he heard the sound at his door. He opened it to see a servant disappearing in the halls. The mystery scroll about his grandfather's past sat at his feet. He took it into his bedroom with him.


	19. Dinner at Mai's House

"You're different," Mai said.

"Different?" Zuko asked. "How?"

"I don't know. I can't put my finger on it, but you've changed somehow," Mai replied. "It's…something."

"Something," Zuko said. "That narrows it down."

"Please don't be like this," Mai said, putting her eating sticks down. "I don't want to get into another fight with you."

"Alright, alright," Zuko said. "Sorry."

Mai took a long sip of her tea, letting the heat bloom in her chest. She sighed and set the cup down, not sure how to start an actual conversation. Not one that was appropriate for 'polite company,' anyway. She looked over at her Aunt Shoma, who was pleasantly sipping her tea and eating her food, seemingly unaware of the two teenagers' drama.

"Did you sleep well?" Mai asked him.

"Yeah. I slept well," Zuko replied, and shoved a slice of komodo chicken in his mouth. He figured if he was eating, the conversation would end. He was wrong.

"That's good. Did you have pleasant dreams?" Mai asked, despite the fact that she couldn't care less.

"I can't remember," Zuko said. "Do you remember any of your dreams?" he asked her, his tone a bit biting.

"Some," Mai replied. "They're not interesting."

"Neither are mine," Zuko said.

They both glanced over at Mai's Aunt Shoma again. She looked as contented as ever. She sipped her tea slowly, smiling and savoring the flavor. She reminded Zuko of his uncle with the way she was drinking tea. He looked away, staring down at his food.

"Did you sleep well?" Zuko asked her.

"Yeah. I slept well," Mai replied.

"That's good," he said.

"Yeah. That's good," Mai agreed.

Shoma still said nothing. She picked up some noodles with her eating sticks and slurped them down as ladylike as she possibly could. So unaware of them. So oddly oblivious to the awkward conversation that was happening. Maybe if she just left the two alone…

But then they'd have the palace servants still watching over them. That didn't sound like much fun either…to say the least.

"Aunt Shoma, how did you sleep," Mai asked, roping her into the conversation.

"I slept very well, dear," Shoma replied, looking up at her niece. "And I had pleasant dreams. It was about your uncle…"

"That's great!" Mai snapped before her aunt could say any more. She didn't know where that was heading as she didn't care to find out.

"I did wake up in the early morning hours, though," Shoma continued.

"Sorry to hear that," Zuko said.

"While I was up, I went in to go check on you Mai. I brought you some hot tea and some rose water. I figured you were going to be up soon, anyway," Shoma continued.

"Oh," Mai said, her heart beating a little faster.

"Yes. And even though you weren't in your room last night, I figured you'd be back soon. I trust you found my gifts when you finally returned?" Shoma asked, looking at her niece expectantly.

"Yes. I did. That was very considerate of you, Aunt Shoma," Mai said, staring into her plate of food. She just hoped that she wasn't blushing. She glanced up at Zuko, and he looked just about as guilty as she did, probably.

"I'm glad. Did you like the tea?" Shoma asked.

"Yes. It was nice," Mai said quickly. She gulped down her tea, hating this conversation and wishing that she was anywhere else in the world right now. Hell, she'd rather be stung by tea-bees than have this conversation.

"Do you two love each other?" Shoma asked suddenly.

Mai nearly choked on her tea. "Don't be ridiculous," Mai told her aunt. "We're only dating. Barely."

"Yes, barely," her Aunt Shoma agreed. "But the two of you do spend quite a bit of time together." Then, out of nowhere, she said, "Some of Fire Nation customs are quite old, you know. Far too old. The Great Firelord Sozin tried to cleanse our nation of our old and superstitious ways, but unfortunately some of them still remain. I object to them, of course, but some of our traditions cannot simply be whisked away. They are too strong in the public conscious."

Zuko and Mai exchanged confused looks. Honestly, who knew what she was talking about?

"Our marriage customs can be quite strange in certain regions," Shoma said. "For example, in another part of the nation, a couple is considered married they live together for over a year. Not too far from here, in fact, a couple is considered married only if the Fire Sages give them fire for their hearth…a way of them saying that they accept the union. The strangest of all these customs is probably in the Northwestern part of our nation; there, a couple is considered married if a woman bleeds on a man's bed. Isn't that the strangest thing you've ever heard?"

Zuko and Mai exchanged nervous glances. They both had an awful feeling of where this conversation was going.

"That's…that's very interesting Miss Shoma," Zuko said.

"Very," Mai said.

The two started slurping down noodles.

"I thought so," Aunt Shoma said. After a minute of silence, she patted her lips with a napkin and stood up. "If you will excuse me, your highness, I have an appointment with a friend of mine very soon. Forgive me, I hope you will understand," she said with a bow.

"Of course," Zuko said.

As soon as Shoma had left the room, both of them sighed in relief. They had dodged one hell of a bullet.

xoxo

Zuko used their bathhouse to clean up after dinner. Mai had offered, and he knew that no one would mind. He was the crowned prince, after all.

That's when he felt a pair of eyes on him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Mai standing in the doorway, watching him.

"I'm not in the mood, Mai," he said.

"Neither am I," she replied. "I need to talk to you." Without waiting for a response, she walked in, sliding the doors closed behind her and walking right up to him. "She's not going to let the issue drop."

Zuko heaved a heavy sigh. "Mai…"

"Zuko."

"I'm not worried," he said.

The look on Mai's face was priceless. Her eyes widened and she backed up from him, looking at him like he was a venomous barking snake. "What do you mean, you're not worried?" she asked him.

"Are you?" he asked her.

Mai didn't respond for a long time. She took her time washing her hands in a nearby water bowl, then cleansing her face, then reapplying scented oil to her wrists and neck. Zuko got up from his bathing stone and wrapped his arm around her waist, making her look at him. She held his gaze. The look in her eyes was almost feral.

"You can't be serious," Mai said.

"I'm probably not," Zuko admitted. "But…"

"Zuko…do you even know what you're hinting at?" Mai asked him, arching an eyebrow. "Are you really that dense?" She took a step back and asked, "Or are you messing with my head? Because if you are, it's not funny Zuko. I'll never forgive you."

Zuko looked down at his feet. "I'm not joking," he said.

Mai looked away.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable," Zuko said.

"It's a little late for that," Mai replied.

"Hey, you're making me uncomfortable right now," Zuko shot back. "But…still. I like your company."

"We'll talk about this later," Mai said, and starting making her way towards the door.

"I thought you wanted to talk now," Zuko said, grabbing her arm. "Isn't that why you charged in here?"

"Let go," Mai said, shaking her arm free from his grip. "I didn't know you'd—"

"That I'd what?" Zuko asked her.

He sat back down on the bathing stone, placing one foot on it, the other on the floor. It took all of Mai's willpower not to look at him. The way he was sitting like that…it was…inspiring her. Inspiring her to do things to him that she didn't want to think about at a time like this. But she failed. She glanced over at him, looking at his bare chest and his pants wet and clinging to his body.

"Goodbye, Zuko," Mai snapped, and started marching towards the door.

"Why are you like this?" he shouted at her. "Why do you never want to talk? I thought Ember Island would've helped you, but you're still blocking me out!"

"I'm not blocking you out!" Mai shouted. "I've never blocked you out!"

"Yes you have! You never express yourself, you never tell me what you're thinking, you're never happy!"

"Stop lying, Zuko! I've done all of those things. Things I'd never do with anyone else but you!"

"Then why are you so scared to talk about this? Why are you so scared that your Aunt started dropping hints about things? Why are you yelling at me?"

"Because you're yelling at me! Use your head for once, Zuko!"

"I use my head plenty! And for thinking, too!"

Mai opened her mouth to snap back at him, but instead she just started laughing. And laughing. And laughing.

"What? What's so funny?!" Zuko shouted at her.

"Nothing. Nothing," she said, trying to stop laughing. She cleared her throat and bit her cheek to stop, and then said, "Just the way you say things…"

"What about the way I say things?" Zuko snapped.

"Really. Do you hear yourself sometimes?" Mai asked him. "What do you use your head for besides thinking?"

"Well…um…"

"Exactly!" Mai said.

"Hey," Zuko said, jumping up and walking over to her, "don't mock me. And stop laughing!"

"Make me," Mai said.

The tension in the air was thick with that statement. The atmosphere around them changed. Mai wasn't laughing anymore, and the anger just melted off of Zuko's face. He swallowed past a lump in his throat. Mai glanced down at his lips, a small sigh escaping her as she did so.

She looked back up at his eyes. They were as intense as ever.

They both knew what was about to happen, what they were about to do, right here and now, but both of them were in disbelief. Here and now? And under these circumstances? They'd never had an energy so heated, so explosive between them before.

Mai leaned forward, stopping just short of his lips. Zuko's lips brushed against hers, and she closed her eyes.

Zuko picked her up, much to Mai's surprise, and he carried her over to the stone slab, still wet from his bath. He laid her down, her clothes soaking in the water, her hair becoming unbound as she pulled it free from its confines.

Zuko was laying on top of her, staring her down. Mai reached up to touch his face, her fingers tracing the edges of his scar. He closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. She grabbed his hair, and pulled his face towards his, capturing his lips in a kiss. One that he eagerly returned.

Mai wrapped her arms around his back as she bit his lip and nipped at his tongue. He pulled away, escaping her teeth, and started sucking at her neck. Mai moaned, and she parted her legs. He ground against her body, his hips digging into her skin.

She pulled at the sash holding her robe closed. She pulled the silk away from her body, sliding a side of the robe off of her. A single breast was exposed to him. He took it into his mouth and began to suck at it. Mai sighed, whispered his name, lifted her hips to meet his own. Beneath his pants, he was hard and throbbing, ready to take her whenever she was ready for him.

With his teeth, he slid the other part of her robe off of her shoulder, and his kisses traveled down from her shoulder to her other breast, sucking on her nipple just like he had the other one.

Mai placed her hand on the back of Zuko's neck, her grip tightening, her nails biting into the delicate skin as she wrapped her fingers around him.

As he sat up to look at her, her hand slid to the front of his throat, her thumb sliding across his skin, her grip tightening just enough to hint at danger. He closed his eyes, moaned her name, kissed her again.

Mai's grip around his neck tightened, and he grabbed her wrist and pulled it away from him. Mai grabbed his hand and brought it close to her mouth. She kissed each finger. She took his middle finger and kissed the tip, put it into her mouth, and sucked it gently. She slid her tongue around his finger, and looked up at him expectantly.

Zuko was wide-eyed and speechless.

He may not know much about sex, but he knew enough to know what she was suggesting. She put his hand on her breast and kissed his lips, whispering, "Zuko. I…I want to try it…"

"Try…it…" he repeated. "I…"

"Please," she whispered.

His heart was racing. Yes, yes, yes, his mind screamed. He could only nod his head.

They rolled over, Mai straddling him. She slid her robe off and let it fall onto the wet ground. Zuko reached up to grab her breasts, and Mai covered his hands with her own, silently telling him how she wanted him to do it. Mai put more weight on Zuko, feeling his erection poking through the wet fabric, pressing up against her body. She licked her lips.

She was nervous, but excited.

Releasing his hands, she put her hands on the waistband of his pants, pulling the waistband down. Down his hips, down the pelvis, down to the apex between his lips. His erection sprung free from his pants and laid against his stomach.

She'd never paid that much attention to it before. She'd wrapped her hand around it and had stroked him before, and she'd been penetrated with it plenty of times before. But now she was going to put it in her mouth, and she was almost shaking.

Mai swallowed her fear and leaned down, putting her lips against the tip and kissing it. Zuko moaned lightly.

Feeling braver, she pulled his erection towards her mouth, and took him in her mouth.

"Oh! Wow," Zuko said as he felt her mouth around his penis.

Mai slid her mouth up and down his shaft slowly. It didn't taste weird or foul or anything…it tasted just like normal skin. His precum, on the other hand, tasted slightly metallic. She was relieved…it tasted bearable.

Mai remembered what Azula had told her, all those nights ago, about oral sex and how to make sure the male was left wanting for nothing. She cradled his testicles with her free hand, wrapped another lightly around the base, and let her tongue trace random patterns around the skin. She bobbed her head up and down, she gave small, teasing nips to the delicate skin, she sucked him so hard that he groaned.

"I'm close," Zuko groaned.

Mai jumped back, not wanting for him to ejaculate on her face…or neck or hair or anywhere around her head.

Zuko grabbed one of her hands and wrapped it around his hard cock, sliding her hand up and down his shaft until he came. His head fell back, his back arched, and he whimpered as his seed shot out of him, landing on his bare chest and stomach. She stroked him until he was emptied, and even then to tease him, prolonging his orgasm for as long as she could.

Zuko's body was limp against the stone, and he was panting.

"That was nice," he mumbled, and put a hand over his eyes. Mai could see that he was blushing.

Curiously, Mai touched the seed on his stomach. It was sticky and white, and she decided she didn't want to touch it. Scooping up some warm water in a pot, she poured it over him, bathing his body clean. Zuko removed his hand and watched her while she did it.

Her caress against his stomach…her naked body…her wet hair spilling over her breasts…her blush…

"I want to try it," Zuko told her, sitting up right.

"What?"

"I want to try it. I want to make you come, too," he said. He smiled at her giddily. Mai looked so cute when she was surprised.

Without waiting for an answer, he put his hands on her hips and rolled her over. Now she laid flat on the wet stone, fresh with warm water. Fuck, it felt good, and Mai couldn't help but close her eyes and enjoy the feeling. Zuko was kissing her breasts, and then her stomach, and then her vulva. She glanced at him, watching him intently. His amber eyes glistening at her for a moment before he lowered his mouth and slid his tongue over her labia.

She moaned and tossed her head back.

Zuko licked up and down her labia, tasting her slick lubricant, teasing her entrance, and finally swiping up to focus on her clitoris.

Mai put a hand over her mouth to muffle her moans. As Zuko licked her clitoris, making her moan and writhe, Mai reached down to run a single hand through his hand, tangling and gripping it.

Zuko's hands caressed her inner thighs, her stomach, and her breasts. He played with her breast, cupping it, rolling the hardened nipple between his fingers, flicking it with his thumb.

Her body was shaking, edging closer to climax. Her nails dug into his scalp as he ate her, his tongue dancing over her clitoris, circling it, tasting it. Her nerves were tingling, and it felt like her whole body was on fire. Her heart was pounding and her feet were pointed like a dancer's.

Mai's back arched, up and down, and she bit onto her hand. Zuko's fingers trailed down her body, from her breast, dragging over her stomach, and after what felt like an eternity, Zuko's fingers went inside her body. Two of them, curling and sliding in and out of her, just as she had told him to do before.

Her climax began, teasing her, hinting at what would be. "Oh. Oh. Oh." She was whimpering and whispering her moans. Her orgasm increased until she reached her ultimate climax. Her whole body stilled, her breath stopped, her hands were buried in Zuko's hair. Her back arched, her toes pointed, her nerves all sang with heavenly delight.

That orgasm…that orgasm was everything. It was different. It was strange. It was satisfying.

Seconds passed before she was able to calm back down. As Zuko still flicked his tongue over her clitoris, Mai jumped and groaned. Her clitoris was so sensitive, swollen and wet, and aftershocks from climax still pulsed through her body.

Finally, the warm, tingling afterglow set in, and when she no longer jumped at Zuko's tongue, he kissed her. He kissed her thighs, he kissed her stomach, he kissed her breasts. His warm mouth on her breasts, kissing her, and his warm tongue teasing her nipple. Mai smiled, savoring the feeling of his mouth on her.

As Zuko made his way to her neck, Mai tilted her head back, letting his lips suck on her skin, letting his hand creep around her neck, letting him tug on her hair.

She opened her eyes to look at him, and she saw him look up at her with fire in his eyes. His lips were as red and swollen as her clitoris. His hair was wet and tangled. He was completely undone. And she looked just the same.

Zuko pressed kisses to her lips, letting his tongue run over her lips, letting her scratch between his shoulder blades. Mai darted her tongue out to meet his, tasting it before pulling it back into her mouth.

Zuko sighed, and his breath slid over her heated skin.

Mai's scratches turned to soft caresses, her fingers like silk over his skin, like cool water dripping on him on a hot day. Like…he couldn't describe it. He only knew that it felt so fucking good.

xoxo

Mai slid the comb through her hair until it was perfect. When she set the brush down, she tilted her head back and Zuko poured the warm water over her scalp, the conditioning oils slipping from her hair and pooling around her body.

"Are you staying the night?" Mai asked him.

"I was hoping to," Zuko said, "but that might not look good."

"You can sleep in the guest room. It might make us look…a bit more innocent," Mai said.

Zuko poured more warm water over her body, and she sighed in content. He sat down next to her, his hands moving over her back, massaging her. She leaned back against him, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close, resting his head against the crook of her neck.

"I'll sleep there," he mumbled. His voice tickled her skin. "I'll miss you."

"So will I," Mai said.

Zuko kissed her neck, slowly and softly, and only for a moment.

"Do you think anyone heard us?"

"No."

Mai turned around to look at him, and placed her hand on his cheek. He smiled at her, and leaned into her touch. He closed his eyes; he put his hand over her's. Mai blushed, and she leaned in to kiss him, their foreheads touching, their eyes opening to meet each other's gaze.

"I'll see you in the morning," Mai said, backing away, her fingers sliding off of his face. She dried herself quickly and wrapped herself up in her silk robe, now completely dry.

"Mai," Zuko called out before she left.

"Yes?"

"Thanks for dinner," he said. A second ticked by before Mai turned bright red, and fled down the hallway, her hand covering her mouth. Zuko didn't know why until he was in bed. He hadn't realized it was an innuendo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments welcome!


	20. Confessions

She had the nightmares again.

Babies. Childbirth. Pain.

She dreamt of her body being cut open, sliced with her own throwing knives, a baby pulled out from her stomach, red and bloody, beating like it was her heart. She felt her blood cooling in her veins when that same baby was thrown into fire, beating and beating until her blood warmed.

She dreamt about a baby crawling around inside of her, reaching out to touch her heart, playing with it like a toy, squeezing it, gnawing at it with its gums. It crawled up her chest until it was in her throat, suffocating her, choking her, strangling her. It crawled up her throat and out of her open mouth, reaching for the sunlight, for the warmth of the day.

She woke up in a cold sweat. It was still dark out, but she could tell by the stars and the temperature that it was close to dawn. She couldn't stay in bed anymore; kicking the covers off, she put on her coat and went outside onto her balcony, staring at the ground and trying to calm down.

Why was she having these dreams? Was it guilt? Fear? Punishment?

Her entire chest felt like it was full of bile, and her heart felt like it weighed a million pounds. With a sigh, she swept her hand over her head, pushing back a few stray strands of hair.

As the first few rays of sunlight crept over the horizon, Mai felt somewhat normal again. But she couldn't keep having these nightmares. She needed them to end, one way or another. They weren't about Zuko or sex or guilt; she kept telling herself that as she watched the sun rise, slowly emerging from its slumber in the ocean.

"The sun never sets on the Fire Nation," Mai whispered.

With a sigh, she curled up into a chair, bored-ly watching the sun rise, until she was lulled off to sleep. Only when her Aunt Shoma woke her up did she go downstairs.

xoxo

"How'd you sleep?" Zuko asked her.

"Fine," Mai replied. "How'd you sleep?"

"Fine."

"That's…good to hear…"

"Yeah. Good to hear."

Breakfast had been laid out for them, but neither was eating. Only Shoma, who sat at a distance, was eating her rice and drinking her tea. She noticed the unease in the two of them, but she said nothing. With a sigh, Shoma set her tea down and said, "I must be going. Today's the day when your uncle usually writes me."

"Okay," Mai said. "Bye."

The servants gave her a short bow as she left.

Mai glanced up at Zuko, he glanced up and her, and they both went back to looking at their plates again. Unable to take anymore, Mai stood up and said, "I'll be outside."

"'Kay," said Zuko.

The door slammed behind him. He didn't care. He leaned forward on the table, picking at his food, lost in his thoughts. He'd had strange dreams that night, dreams about Avatar Roku and Firelord Sozin, about his Uncle Iroh and the current Avatar, and about himself both with his scar and without.

"Sir…?"

Zuko looked up at a servant who had dared to step forward. "I don't mean to bother you, your highness, but you haven't eaten anything in over an hour. Are you done with your breakfast, sir?"

"Yeah," he said, throwing his eating sticks down on the plate. "Help yourself." He stormed out of the room, leaving the rest of them food all to them.

He opened the front door to see Mai sitting on the steps, looking out at the sky with a dead stare. If she hadn't of been breathing, Zuko could have mistaken her as a statue. Her head tilted slightly; she'd heard him there, but she didn't care. She just went back to staring at the sky, not saying or doing anything.

Zuko walked back into Mai's house. The table had been completely cleared and only one servant still stood in the room. When Zuko walked in, he quickly swallowed whatever it was he'd been eating, despite the fact that it felt like a brick going down his throat.

"Prince Zuko," he said, giving the prince a polite bow.

"Can you put some food in a basket? I'm taking Mai out today," he said.

"Of course, sir," said the servant. "Let me do that right away."

xoxo

"I don't like bean sprouts," Mai said.

"Then don't eat them," Zuko said.

Mai set the dish down on the blanket and leaned back against Zuko's shoulder. "Why are we out here?"

"I wanted to do something romantic. Don't you like it?" Zuko asked her.

Mai shrugged. "It's nice, I guess."

A long moment of silence passed between them. Mai reached out and held Zuko's hand, relaxing into him. Zuko smiled down at her.

"Okay," Mai whispered, "it's pretty nice."

Zuko smiled wider. "Glad you finally admitted it."

"And I'll admit that…some of the food…is decent," Mai said. "The candles were a nice touch," she mumbled. Zuko said nothing, but she could sense the broad smile on Zuko's face. "Thanks," she whispered, so quietly that he almost didn't hear her.

Mai closed her eyes.

It was so nice to just sit and relax with him. She breathed deeply, slowly, and she was almost asleep when Zuko moved, his shoulder bumping into her head. She rubbed her eyes and grumbled.

"You didn't really sleep well last night, did you?" he asked her.

"No," she groaned. "I was almost asleep until you moved."

"Sorry," he said.

"It's alright," Mai said. "Sleep is boring, anyway."

"If only," Zuko sighed.

Mai arched an eyebrow as she looked at him. What exactly did he mean by that? Was he having nightmares too? Probably. Mai put her hand on his cheek, and he turned to look at her. He looked just as tired as she did. Slight bruises under his eyes, bloodshot near the corners of his eyes, and slight unfocus in his gaze.

"Nightmares?" he asked.

She nodded. "You?"

"The same," he whispered.

They both exhaled and rested their foreheads against each other. They blinked slowly, fighting off the urge to sleep.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Zuko asked her.

"Hell no," Mai said. "Do you…?"

"Well…" Zuko said. "No…"

"I'll listen," Mai said. "Maybe. If it's interesting."

"I don't want to bore you," Zuko said with a little laugh.

"Since when has that ever stopped you?" Mai asked.

"Good point."

Mai laid down on the blanket, resting on her side. Zuko followed her down and put his hand on her hip. Mai smiled a sly smile. But then Zuko started talking and her smile slid off her face and possibly off the face of the Earth. Mai nestled into the blanket, closed her eyes, and listened to Zuko as he talked.

"I've been having dreams about my uncle," Zuko said. "And about my grandfather. And about my father."

"That does sound like a nightmare," Mai said.

"Haha," Zuko replied dryly. "I'm trying to be serious, here."

"I wasn't mocking you," Mai replied dryly. "I'm still listening. Go on."

"I'm worried about my life. I'm worried I'm not turning out right. I'm still mad at myself but…"

Mai opened her eyes. "But what…?"

Zuko shook his head. "I don't… Something is just wrong. I can just feel it. In my nightmares, I can just see every single mistake I've ever made in my life, and my whole body is scarred and charred and burning and… And people are staring down at me, wanting to eat me and suffocate me. I've had nightmares about my father, far too many…"

"I can understand why," Mai said. "After all, he's the one who…" She trailed off and her eyes traveled to the scar on his face. She looked away before he could catch her staring.

"Yeah. He scarred me. You can say it."

"No," she said. "I can't."

Zuko sighed. "Firelord Sozin is in my nightmares, too."

"Why?"

"To burn me. To be disappointed in me. To confuse me. To make me mad." Zuko rolled over onto his back, staring up at the sky. "But there's other people in my nightmare, too. Like my uncle. I feel…I feel so conflicted."

"Do you regret coming home?" Mai asked, her voice too sharp.

"No," Zuko said. "It's…it's putting things into perspective."

"Is that good or bad?" Mai asked.

"Both…maybe." Zuko groaned and sat upright, wrapping his arms around his knees. "In my nightmares, I've failed at everything and I deserve to suffer. That's what it all comes down to."

"And you don't want to talk about it out of fear of being seen as spineless?" Mai asked him. She pushed herself up into a sitting position and put her hand on his shoulder. "Nightmares about your family. It's oddly relatable."

"Can you take this seriously?" Zuko asked.

"I am… You're having nightmares about your family because you're angry and regretful and hot-headed," Mai said. "I understand that. You don't think I have regrets in life?"

Mai sighed and looked off into the distance, watching the clouds slowly move across the watery horizon. "I've had nightmares about you," she said darkly.

"About me!?" Zuko asked. "Why!? What'd I do to you?"

"It's not that, it's a…different kind of nightmare," Mai said.

"I'm listening," Zuko said. "I'm curious to know what keeps the stoic, fearless Mai up at night."

Mai said nothing, but laid back down on the blanket again, curling up on her side, closing her eyes and trying to ignore him.

"Is it ghosts?" Zuko wondered aloud. "Is it monsters? Is it blood-thirsty cannibals lurking in the snow?"

"Stop it," Mai told him. "You need to take this seriously."

"Sorry. But tell me. I want to know." Zuko laid down with her, curling up on his side just like she did. Mai kept her eyes closed, trying her best to tune him out. "Is it Azula?" he asked.

Mai nearly smacked him for that. He jumped back, but Mai had only glowered at him. "No. I don't fear Azula!" she lied. "I don't fear her anymore than I fear you."

"Then why are you having nightmares about me?" Zuko asked.

"Because…of what might happen," Mai finally admitted.

"What might happen?" Zuko repeated. He turned the words over in his mind, over and over like frying an egg, before he finally made sense of her words. "You mean…like marriage and stuff?"

"Worse."

"Worse than marriage?" Zuko asked. He heard it when he said it; that sounded dumb. "Not that marriage is a bad thing. I mean, my parents were married and I still liked them." Just stop while you're still ahead, he told himself. He could just picture Mai's eyes rolling around like marbles.

"It's…more like death…and agony…" Mai said.

"Death?"

"Yes. I have nightmares about being cut open, only to have it pulled out of me, and my last bit of life fading away," Mai said.

"What pulled out of you?" Zuko asked.

Mai figured that if she never told him he'd never figure it out. She decided it was her best bet, and did her best to let the matter drop.

"Do you feel better?" Mai asked him.

"What?" he asked dumbly.

"Do you feel better? Talking about your nightmares?" Mai said. She sat up and looked down at him, reading his expressions like a book.

"I guess…" Zuko said. "You're not really the supportive type."

Mai wouldn't admit it to anyone, but that hurt. She was about to march away from their picnic spot when Zuko grabbed her wrist. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that," he said. "It's just that all I get is sarcasm from you. I want an actual conversation. I want you to understand."

Begrudgingly, Mai laid back down.

"Alright," she said. "Tell me about your nightmares."

xoxo

In Zuko's dream, he stood in the throne room, surrounded by a wall of fire as high as the ceiling. The heat was blistering his skin. In front of him, larger than life, loomed the shadows of his family. Ozai, Sozin, Iroh, Avatar Roku…

Even Azula was there, her shadow next to Ozai's and in front of Azulon's, a single speck of blue in an ocean of orange. New scars were burning their way into his skin, and he felt himself beginning to suffocate. He gasped for breath as the fire consumed every last bit of air from him. His lungs were burning and he was coughing up embers and bleeding ash and smoke.

The gold of his crown was melting, the liquid metal dripping over his skin, singeing his clothes and armor. When he looked back up at the shadows, all of them wore disappointed scowls on their faces.

"A true dragon would not hide from the flames," said his grandfather Sozin.

"He is no true dragon," said Ozai. "He is a disgrace. He has no place amongst us."

"No! You're wrong!" Zuko shouted at him. If looks could kill, he would have died right there on the spot. But the dream was far from over.

Ozai stood, dressed in his Agni Kai ensemble, and approached him, fists clenched, his face in shadow. He didn't cry this time, didn't get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness. He stood tall, despite his entire body feeling on fire. Despite the fact that he was struggling to breathe.

"You don't belong here. You don't deserve to be here. You are no prince," his father said, his voice deep and growling.

"No," Zuko said, shaking his head. "I am home. I belong here. I belong here."

"Liar!" hissed Ozai, his voice dripping with venom. "You've lied to me before, and you lie to me now! I thought I had taught you obedience!"

The flames roared around him, and Ozai breathed fire into Zuko's face, Ozai's stoney face illuminated with light. He saw his father's fist lunge forward, could feel the small sparks of flame shooting out of his hand, aiming straight towards him.

Zuko reacted. He shot his fist out, fire shooting from his fist, raging out of control, blinding him with harsh light as the throne room was completely consumed. He looked down, the flames dying, and saw his father laying dead on the ground. He looked up, and everyone was gone, their shadows vanishing in the dark, their voices quiet.

"Uncle?" Zuko called out. "Mother?"

He looked back down at the floor and his father was gone. Not even ash or soot or blood; nothing. He was gone, vanished without a trace. Footsteps echoed through the dark throne room, and small blue fire sparked to life on the demolished pillars. Azula stepped forward, a small blue flame in her hand, and on top of that, a golden crown shaped like fire.

"This is how it ends," Azula said to him. The crown was melting in her hand, the metal pooling in her palm and dripping onto her feet. She was a true dragon; she didn't hide or flinch from the flame.

"This can't be it," Zuko whispered.

The crown melted. Azula's flame died. Zuko was left alone in complete darkness. Only when he heard his uncle's voice did he wake up from his dream.

xoxo

"What do you think it means?" Mai asked. "Because it sounds to me like you're afraid of your father, miss your uncle, are jealous of your sister, and worried about inheriting the throne."

"It does sound that way," Zuko said. "But I have this feeling in me when I dream it. It's not those things. It's regret and confusion and anger and…UGH!" He punched the air, fire shooting from his fist.

"Zuko," Mai said, turning his face towards her, "relax. I know that you're going to be a great Firelord."

"I hope so," Zuko said. "I hope so."

A minute of silence crept between them when Zuko turned to Mai and said, "Tell me your nightmares?"

xoxo

It was getting dark. Mai and Zuko had finished their food long ago, and now they sat together talking, kissing, cuddling, and repeating. Mai chuckled at his jokes, even when they weren't funny, and smiled at him as he talked about life. She even listened to his talk about economic development and his goals as a Firelord. Well, she listened to most of it, which had to count for something.

"You know, Mai, you never did tell me what was troubling you."

The twilight made everything so dreamy, so surreal. Mai blinked slowly, trying to recenter herself. But she was so tired, and the darkness was creeping up on her, and she had gotten so lost in Zuko that nothing felt real anymore.

"Gore. Scorn. Pain," Mai said, looking down at her feet. "I've dreamt of a lot of bad things. Like being caged in a palace and bored to death, doing nothing but looking pretty having children. I've dreamt of children feeding off of my body like a parasite, cutting me open with swords and knives, ripping me open like wild dogs. I've had nightmares about dying alone and dying in childbirth. I've had nightmares about turning into my mother and turning into my father."

Mai sighed and leaned back against Zuko, watching as the first stars appeared.

"I guess my just hate my whole future."

"To me, it sounds more like you just hate domestic life. And I don't really blame you. It's pretty boring around here," Zuko said.

"Definitely," Mai agreed. "It was so much more fun hunting the Avatar. But now that he's dead, I guess I have to find something else to do," she joked.

Zuko bit his lip. He wasn't so sure the Avatar was dead.

But he didn't let her know that.

"So tell me," Zuko said sweetly, nuzzling his face against hers. "What does your perfect future look like?"

"Hmm," Mai thought. "It would be interesting. I could travel. I could go anywhere I wanted at any time. I wouldn't have to worry about political careers or being a proper lady or pleasing snooty nobles…"

Zuko chuckled.

"Am I in this future?" Zuko asked her.

"Yes," she said. "You're always with me, no matter where I go." Mai thought for a moment and said, "That sounds almost like a nomadic life."

"A little," Zuko mumbled. "But we're not koala sheep herders, so there's that."

Mai chuckled. "That's true." With a sigh she said, "I guess it wouldn't be so bad staying in one place…so long as there's something interesting to do."

"Like what?" Zuko asked her.

"Being able to fight people. Throw knives at them. Do something other than just listen to people drone on and on about politics. And anything—anything—other than embroidering and constantly making kids…" Mai said.

"Well…" Zuko said, "if you become Fire Lady, I promise you won't have that life."

Maybe he shouldn't have said that. Maybe he should have kept his stupid mouth shut and just let her words end the night. But he'd said what he said, and now Mai was quiet and stiff, with his words echoing in her head.

He never saw it, but she smiled. It lasted only for a second, but it was there.

"Shut up, Zuko," she said at last.

"Make me."


	21. Pure

She laid on his bed, flat on her back, her legs wrapped around his head, her feet resting on his shoulders.

She moaned, groaned, whispered, sighed.

Zuko's tongue laved over her labia and circled her clitoris until she could take no more; until she was gripping the sheets and moaning into the pillows and trembling with orgasm. Zuko held her thighs apart as she quaked, pressing his tongue down on her until Mai was hissing and whining. Her body shook with orgasm and orgasmic aftershocks until it didn't. Zuko gave one last lick up her labia, and went to work on her breasts.

He took one in his mouth, kissing it gently, while his hand toyed with her other nipple. Mai ran a hand through his hair absent-mindedly as he did so. It coaxed a breathy moan from him, and then a deeper moan, coming from the back of his throat. One that reverberated in his throat, and up against her skin. It made her smile.

She was still in a state of oblivious bliss, only able to focus on his body on hers. The feeling of his soft, warm tongue on her body, leaving her skin pink and wet, leaving little trails of kisses on such a personal part of her body. And his soft moans and pants that colored the air around them, and made her skin tingle. Zuko switched breasts, and Mai smiled wider. It felt so damn good.

She sighed contently.

She wrapped her legs back around him, pulling him closer, pulling him in, wanting to feel him, wanting to hold him. His skin was warm, a fiery passion fueling his body, his eyes filled with an intense lust that he had only for her.

Zuko reached down to stroke his hard cock, preparing himself for what would come next. He kissed her deeply as he positioned his penis between her legs, barely entering her, teasing her body, making her vaginal muscles clench with desire. She waited for him to fill her; waited to feel the thickness of his cock deep inside of her body, to ride it and get off again with him inside her. Mai pulled his head closer to her, wrapping her arms around his neck and sucking at his lip.

When she opened her eyes to look at him, and the look in her eyes was almost feral. They sparkled and shone, and the intensity in them was almost paralyzing, the love in them so deep he could drown. Zuko knew that look, and he loved it. He wanted her to look at him like that forever.

They stared at each other as he slid into her. He watched her reaction: a slight softening of her expression, with her eyes fluttering and her lips parting in a soft gasp, before the fierce look of passion was back. It was such a brief second of helplessness, of being so lost in the sensation of him, that it was as quick and beautiful as a strike of lightning.

And those eyes. Those damned eyes. He could lose himself in those eyes.

Zuko moved slowly at first, watching her with each thrust. He moved until he was completely filling her, his pelvis pushing up against her inner thighs, and then slid away until only the tip of his cock remained in her. He moved as slow as he could bear, wanting to draw out the pleasure, wanting to make it last forever.

Mai's face was so beautiful; the way her eyes sparkled, the soft gasp with each full thrust, the furrowing of her eyebrows that made her look so sweet and passionate.

He put his lips to hers, and kissed her again. With another slow thrust, she pulled away, tilting her head back, and Zuko kissed her neck, his tongue sliding up from her collarbone to her chin, before traveling back down with more butterfly kisses.

If only the night could go on forever.

If only this one night could go on forever.

Zuko gave a quick, hard thrust inside of her, and he watched as Mai threw her head back and gasped. Then moaned. Then waited for more. He pulled out and gave another sudden thrust, and she gasped again. And gasped. And gasped. With every quick thrust, his hips smacking against hers, his cock burying inside of her in random moments, she gasped and moaned.

Her fists clutched the sheets so tightly that her knuckles were turning white, and her back arched as she felt him moving inside of her.

It felt so good to feel him.

Soon he was moving normally, and Mai's grip loosened on the sheets as she laid beneath him, staring up at him with furrowed brows and watery eyes and parted lips. A blush colored her cheeks, her jet black hair was a mess, and on her collarbone was a deep, dark hickey. He wanted that expression—that look—burned into his memory, so he stared at her hard, drinking in every little detail of her body, her face, her hair, and those eyes…

Those beautiful, feral eyes.

There was something dangerous lurking in her, and he was going to draw it out. Maybe not tonight, but one night he would reach that part of her, and he would finally know her so intimately that it would be as if he'd seen her naked soul.

And he'd give her the same. Let her see him; his scarred, dark, loving, pure soul.

With the way Mai was looking at him, it was like she was searching for it already. Traveling through his eyes and into his mind, connecting herself with him as only she could.

Zuko grabbed the back of her knee and pulled her leg up, her knee at his side, her legs spread wide open. She closed her eyes again, but the connection was not severed. She felt every inch of him, every delicious thrust, every twitch of his muscles, every vein that lined his cock as he moved in her.

She tried to say his name, but it came out as a breathy whine.

Zuko growled low in his throat, watching as Mai tried to say his name. Tried to tell him how fucking good he felt. He knew what she tried to say, and he pulled her leg up to kiss her ankle, then stroke his cheek against her calf.

Zuko's lips broke into a smile and he tossed his head back, thrusting quickly, enjoying the pure ecstasy of the moment. He moaned again, softly but deeply, before his moans turned into small whimpers. He could feel the tension building within him, and he had to bite his lip to stop from getting too loud. But still, a groan was torn from within him, and Mai bucked her hips, aroused by his voice.

Mai reached out for his hands, and he grabbed them, their fingers intertwining as he pounded into her. Mai gripped his hands hard, loving his touch, loving the intimacy in that simple gesture.

She breathed deep as her body was opened up again, stretched and filled with his body. She tingled all over, a white hot fire pulsing through her veins. The past aftershocks from orgasm only made her more sensitive to Zuko's thrusts. It heightened her sense of touch, inside and out, and made her skin crave the warmth of his hands on her body.

She was so sensitive inside. With every thrust her nerves were hit full force. She shivered and gripped his hands harder.

Zuko put her legs back down on the mattress and laid back down on her, kissing her lips, her cheeks, her neck, his tongue momentarily gliding over the hickey he'd left on her collarbone before traveling back up to her face. Mai wrapped her legs around his waist tighter, hugging him, never wanting to let him go. Zuko slid his hands underneath her and rolled them both over.

Mai felt the chilly night air on her skin, and she gasped at the shock. Zuko laid beneath her, his arms still wrapped around her waist, him still thrusting into her hard and fast. Mai grabbed the headboard, and Zuko kissed and sucked her breasts while he held her body. He planted the soles of his feet into the mattress, giving him better leverage. He could thrust faster that way, and get so much deeper. He moved quickly, taking her from below, his mouth leaving wet marks everywhere he kissed.

Mai cried out with every thrust, filling the still night air with her voice. She was trying her best to restrain her moans, but she couldn't help it. He was coaxing those sounds out of her, letting her wild and reckless side finally escape. They were beautiful and real and raw.

They were sounds no one had brought out of her before, and Mai couldn't even hear how beautiful she sounded. Zuko kissed her throat as it reverberated with each cry.

Zuko stopped thrusting, and Mai ground herself back and forth against him, feeling his cock move in her, filling her, touching her in all the right places. Back and forth she slid against him, and he held onto her hips, looking up at her face strained with effort and pleasure.

With only the slightest of touches and looks, Zuko told Mai he wanted to change positions. Intrigued and excited, her heart pounding in her chest, her face flushed a bright pink, she turned and got onto her hands and knees.

Zuko placed one hand on her hip, the other holding his erection, teasing her opening again with little strokes and shallow penetration. Mai pushed back against his body, trying to take him into her, trying to push herself against the hilt of his sword, but he pulled away, not giving her satisfaction. Not yet.

Mai lowered herself onto her elbows.

Zuko ran his fingertips down her spine, from the nape of her neck to her tailbone. Mai whimpered and spread her legs wider.

'Please,' she wanted to say.

'Now,' she wanted to say.

'Zuko,' she wanted to say.

But she could say none of those words. All she could utter was pure expression. Like a ghost escaping from her body, the only thing that could escape from her was the sound of her soul, bound to him, wanting him, orgasming and recovering and orgasming again.

Finally, she felt him slide his way inside of her, fully sheathing himself inside of her body, and she buried her face into the blankets. She heard him moan as he slid in, and then a sigh of relief as he gasped for breath.

He wasn't slow; he was fast and needy and desperate. He had to have her, had to experience this with her, had to hear the sounds that she made. He needed this just the same way that she needed this, and he was losing himself in that feeling. He was closing his eyes, moaning and groaning and gasping and whimpering.

His body began to tense, and his eyes fluttered. He was close to orgasm, and he had to bite his tongue from screaming her name. If he could say her name at all. The sounds from his throat were far too strangled to be anything close to words. It was lust and love and need and want; it was pleasure and affection and relief.

His heart beat rapidly.

His cock was slick and throbbing.

His body was holding Mai's, gripping her skin, his arms around her torso.

It took all his strength and willpower to pull out of her and turn her over. Mai watched him as he jerked himself off, bringing himself to climax, and came all over her stomach. Warmth spread across her stomach as his seed landed on her, thick and sticky, almost reaching up to her breasts. His entire body shuddered, his muscles tensing…and the look on his face…Mai had never seen anything so alluring, so endearing, so entrancing.

He was gasping for breath and humming deep in his throat, savoring the sweet, sweet afterglow that came after climax. Mai watched as his chest rose and fell, the way his muscles moved underneath his skin, and the slight blush that covered his entire body.

When Zuko opened his eyes, he saw her eyes first. Wide and shining in the moonlight, staring at him, looking at him with all the emotions in the world hidden away in them. Her mouth was parted, her chest heaving, her legs trembling with strain. Her stomach was covered in his seed, and just that sight alone made his softening penis twitch. Every part of him she had accepted, had welcomed into her, had loved and embraced.

He stroked her inner thighs with his thumbs, massaging her, making her trembling muscles relax and be still. When Mai sighed, he sighed too, loving the sound.

The sheets rustled and Zuko left the bed, leaving Mai with an unwelcome cold feeling. She followed him with her eyes as she watched him enter the bath chamber then come back with a warm, wet cloth. Water dripped on the floor, and he wrung it out in a basin.

Mai leaned up, but he put a hand on her shoulder, coaxing her to lay flat back on the mattress.

The warm, wet cloth touched her stomach, and Mai felt immediate bliss. The cloth swept over her, cleaning up the mess Zuko had made on her body. Mai gave a soft, breathy moan as the warm water was massaged into her body, and she was left feeling clean and fresh.

He slowly moved it over her body, across her stomach and breasts, between her legs, where he teased her with his fingers. Leaning down, Zuko kissed her forehead, and that felt better than any rag he held.

Mai sighed in happiness. Zuko's hands were on her again, leaving the warm, wet cloth between her legs and reaching up to touch her breasts. He cupped both of them, his thumbs sliding over her nipples, before he leaned down and started sucking on them.

Then, just as quickly as he had kissed her breasts, he left the bed, taking the wash cloth with him. Mai looked up to watch him, but she was so tired she just laid her head back down and listened. Footsteps and splashing water, and Zuko's breathing, still heavy from sex.

Zuko ran the wet wash cloth over his penis, cleaning off the slick lubricant Mai had covered it with. He wrapped the warm cloth over himself and stroked himself slowly, enjoying the barely-there sensation of getting off again. Only after he was completely satisfied, he wrung the dirty cloth out in the basin.

Mai heard water splashing, and footsteps approaching, and then he was back by her side, holding her in his arms, slowly running his hands over her body.

Mai snuggled up next to him, her hair tickling them, their noses brushing against each other. She opened her eyes for a split second to look at him, and she thought she'd never seen him look so happy, so satisfied, so peaceful…

Zuko put his hand to her cheek, feeling a smile creep onto her face. She opened her eyes again to look at him, and he was just as beautiful as before. She loved him, and he loved her.

He loved her so much.

And her eyes…her beautiful eyes, shining in the darkness…Zuko was hypnotized by them.

Mai held him in her gaze as she cupped his cheek, kissed his lips, hugged him close to her. She was in love, and she didn't feel awkward about it anymore. She could say it without hesitation. She loved him; she loved him; she loved him.

Mai closed her eyes and snuggled deep into his bed, pulling the blankets over them. Zuko slung his arm over her, pulling her closer until their foreheads touched. And even closer still.

They fell asleep like that: two lovers intertwined, satisfied and raw, their souls connected, their sleep deep and peaceful.


	22. The Royal Siblings Can Be Royal Jerks

Mai lounged on a cushion, picking at her nails, listening as the guzheng droned on and on. She was trying to stay awake, but it proved more difficult the more time went on.

She looked over at Ty Lee, and she was watching the musicians dreamily. But she was blinking slowly, leaning a bit too heavily on her elbows. Her tea sat untouched on the table, growing cold. Mai looked over at Azula, who was sipping her tea slowly, stirring the honey into it slowly, watching as the spoon clinked against the porcelain with slow moving eyes.

The song ended and everyone clapped politely. Mai sat up to clap, absent-mindedly just slapping her hands together before laying back down on the cushion, asking Azula to pour her another cup of tea. She even heated it up for her. 'She must be in a good mood,' Mai thought. That was stranger than anything she'd encountered in a long time.

"Thanks," Mai said, drowning her words into her teacup.

Azula said nothing. Did nothing. She probably hadn't even heard her.

'Whatever,' Mai thought. It wasn't like she cared.

"This is a nice song," Ty Lee said. "It's so calming. And pretty."

"It's called The Butterfly Lovers," Azula said. "Not that you would know that. You haven't been here before, have you?"

"No. I don't think so," Ty Lee said. "I've never wanted to come in here before, though."

"I have," Mai said. "It's just as boring as I remember it."

"Oh, don't say that," Ty Lee said. "It's nice in here. Nice atmosphere, nice music, nice tea…"

"You think everything is nice," Mai said.

"As compared to you, who isn't happy with anything," Azula said. Mai glared at her, and Azula gave a smirk. "Really Mai. Is there anything that makes you happy? Besides my brother?"

Mai snapped her head down so Azula wouldn't see her blushing.

"Looks like a nerve has been hit," Ty Lee said with a giggle. When Mai glared at her, she merely gave her an innocent smile and sipped her steaming tea.

"Plenty of things excite me," Mai told Azula, once she was sure her blush was gone.

"Is that so?" Azula said, her smile growing wider. "Then tell me, what manages to excite you? Besides the grim reality of life?"

"Fighting," Mai mumbled. "My skill with knives, and practicing with them."

"Ah," Azula said, arching an eyebrow. "Of course. Zuko, knives, and the color black. What a fascinating personality you have."

"At least I have a personality," Mai shot back.

Ty Lee nearly choked on her tea when Mai said that. She quickly glanced from Mai to Azula, biting her tongue to keep from saying anything.

"What are you saying?" Azula asked her. "Could you possibly by saying that I don't have a personality?!"

"Your powers of deduction are staggering," Mai said.

A smile was tugging at the corners of her mouth. She bit it down, though. She knew she was walking on dangerous ground; teasing Azula may be in good fun in the beginning, but she knew that Azula wouldn't take kindly to any insults that hit too close to home. One wrong word and their game might turn into a banishment.

"Almost as staggering as your skill at stealth," Azula said.

"What?" Mai asked.

"Your stealth skills," Azula said. "Sneaking in and out of the palace at odd times. Wandering the hallways as though people can't see you walking around in the early morning. Why, you should be a ninja, you're so sneaky."

Color drained from Mai's face. "I…"

How the hell was she supposed to respond to that?

She looked at Ty Lee. Ty Lee was watching the guzheng player, and she wasn't about to turn back around to see the drama at her table. Best to fake obliviousness to the whole situation.

"No comeback?" Azula asked, a triumphant look on her face.

"I refuse to dignify it with a response," Mai said, picking up her tea cup and angrily sipping the tea. It was a bit too hot for her, but she swallowed it anyway. Bad idea; now her temper was starting to come out of hiding.

"Oh, be honest, Mai. You can't respond to it because it's so painfully obvious that I'm right," Azula said.

"Yeah, well, you burned the tea," Mai snapped.

"You can't burn tea. You just drank it too hot," Azula said.

The song ended. Cue more polite clapping. The musician smiled at them, bowing her head at their table, before smiling at the other patrons. She looked back down at her guzheng, placing her fingers delicately on the strings, and began strumming out another song. The music filled the tense silence that had settled on the three of them, and the soft, subtle melody calmed Mai back down.

"May I get you anything, your highness, ladies?" asked a servant who came over to them.

"More fire flakes, please," Ty Lee said.

Of course, my lady," the woman said, bowing her head. "Anything for you, your highness."

"No. Please leave," Azula said, and the servant was gone at once.

"Did you want anything, Mai?" Ty Lee asked.

"No," Mai snapped. A bit too loudly. Several people turned to look at them, but Azula pulled the sheer curtain closed, cutting them off.

"Must you make this awkward for us, Mai?" Azula asked. "Really. You were in a fine mood just moments before."

"Maybe the tea's just too hot," Ty Lee suggested.

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here," Mai said.

"We're not," Azula said. "Well, at least I'm not. I can't speak for Ty Lee. Not now, anyway."

Mai thought for a moment, then sat up straight, placing her teacup back on the table. "You never defended it!"

"Defended what?" Azula asked, surprised.

"That you had an actual personality," Mai said, a small smile on her face. "I said you had no personality, and you changed to subject. You don't actually have a personality!"

"Liar," Azula said. "I have a perfect personality. I'm brave, smart, cunning, strong, resourceful, clever, tenacious, influential, not to mention beautiful…"

"Does it hurt your back to kiss your own ass like that?"

A bowl shattered. Mai, Azula, and Ty Lee all turned to look at the servant woman who'd dropped the bowl of fire flakes to the floor, too stunned to notice, staring at Mai with an open mouth and wide eyes. She couldn't believe her own ears; someone would actually say that to the princess?

After an uncomfortably long silence, the woman finally realized what had happened. "My apologies, your highness," she said, stooping to pick up the shattered pieces of the bowl. "I will have another serving of fire flakes out to you within a minute. An even better batch, even."

She scurried off, leaving a mess of fire flakes and tiny broken porcelain pieces on the ground near them. It was swept up faster than Mai could blink, and the servant came rushing back, a fresh bowl of fire flakes in her hands. With a short bow, she placed it on the table, and then rushed off.

Azula chuckled. "You certainly know how to make an impression," she told Mai.

"Mmm," was all Mai said in response.

"It's true, Mai," Ty Lee said. "When I first met you, my first thought was that you didn't have any eyes."

Azula and Mai both turned to look at her, puzzled at what she'd said. "Why?"

"Because you were always looking at the ground, and I thought you were doing that to hide the fact that she was eyeless. When I saw that you did, I was so surprised that I got my first silver hair." Ty Lee smiled and tugged at a stand of her hair. "It's right in here somewhere…"

"Well, that's very nice, Ty Lee," Azula said. She was using the voice; the voice she used when she wanted you to stop talking and listen.

"When I first met you, I thought your feet looked weird," Mai told Ty Lee.

"That seems fair," Ty Lee said.

"Enough, you two," Azula said. They both went quiet and sipped their tea slowly as they listened to the guzheng music. Suddenly, Azula couldn't stand the music. "Rani," she said, and a servant came rushing over.

"What is it, your highness?"

"I'm sick of listening to the guzheng. Have someone play the flute from now one," Azula said.

"Yes, your highness."

"Was that really necessary?" Mai asked when the servant left. "You can't just let it be?"

"Why would I do that?" Azula asked. "I have the power to change it, so I did. I'm not helpless, like you."

"HELPLESS?!" Mai shouted.

Everyone went quiet, and the music stopped playing. People looked over, stunned, at Mai's outburst. Even Ty Lee seemed bug-eyed over the sudden burst of her voice. Mai ignored them by leaning over the table and pulling at the opaque curtain. Sitting back down, she looked at Azula and said, "I'm not helpless! How could you even say that?"

"Think, Mai. If it wasn't for me, you'd be stuck back in Omashu, bored out of your skull, throwing your knives at the ceiling, wishing someone would come and take you away from all of it," Azula said.

"That's not true," Mai said. "I wouldn't done something to get out of that city if I had stayed."

"How?"

"I don't know. By faking my own death or something," Mai said.

"And worry your mother like that? Besides, then what would you do? Wander around the Earth Kingdom looking for scraps and begging for enough money to get you back here?" Azula asked.

"No! I would've written someone, and they would have come and gotten me. I wouldn't need to beg," Mai said.

"You would have been selling yourself within a month," Azula said.

Now she'd gone too far. Mai slammed the teacup down, shattering the teacup in the process. Hot tea and porcelain shards exploded all over the table. Ty Lee squealed and ducked, and Azula gasped and jumped. Mai stood up suddenly, dusting off her clothes, and left their little cubby.

"Excuse me," she snipped. "I just remembered my aunt needed me today."

xoxo

Zuko piled dripping, seasoned komodo chicken on top of steaming white rice. His stomach growled at the smell, but this meal wasn't for him. It was for his uncle. He still hated him and what he'd done to him, but at least his uncle was talking to him now. Sort of.

He still turned away from Zuko, ignored his questions, pretending like he was a ghost. Just the thought of his uncle treating him like that made his blood boil, but he had to stop getting so worked up over it. It was just his uncle. Just his traitor uncle.

Why was he so desperate to have his uncle be happy with him again? He had his father proud of him; why wasn't he happy with just that?

In his worst nightmares, he'd killed his uncle. Given him a full body scar, boiled his blood inside of him, cooked his skin and melted his face. Other times, he'd just be laying on the ground in front of Zuko, a sword through his heart. He'd always wake up in a panic over those, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, a scream filling his chest, wanting to burst out of him and fill the whole world with anguish.

Under the cover of darkness, Zuko made his way to his uncle's prison cell, the food hidden under his robes, his tongue already tied up into knots.

The door slid open, and there was his uncle, his back turned to the door, laying down on his side, seemingly fast asleep. Zuko stepped into the cell, the door sliding closed behind him. He sat on the floor, waiting patiently, trying to think of some way to wake him without screaming at him.

But he wanted to scream at his uncle. He wanted to ask why he was being that way, why he didn't return with him, why he chose to go to prison, why he wasn't talking to him, why why why why why?

"Uncle…?" Zuko tried, his voice gentle.

No response.

"Uncle?" Zuko tried, just a bit louder. He was about to try again, but he knew by the way his uncle shifted his body that he was awake. He was just ignoring him. Again.

'Why wouldn't you look at me?' Zuko felt like screaming.

"Uncle. I know you're awake. I brought you some food." Zuko removed the container from his robe and put it on the floor, pushing it towards him.

His uncle still didn't move, but he could see the slight twitch in muscles. He almost thought that his uncle would turn around and face him. Almost. But he never did. It seemed like his uncle had only broken his silence to shatter Zuko's entire world, and nothing else. Anger boiled inside Zuko's veins at the thought of it; his uncle only devastated him nowadays.

"I hope you're not being mistreated in here," Zuko said.

No response. He didn't expect one, but he knew that his uncle was listening. And that was something. So Zuko said a few words, letting his uncle hear him, letting him know that he was there and that he was thinking of him. Even if the gesture was somewhat hollow.

"When I'm Firelord, I'll make these prisons better. Give everyone in here soft beds and daily baths." It wasn't the right thing to say; he knew that as soon as the words left his mouth. But his uncle still said nothing. He just sat there, listening and ignoring him all at once.

"The food will be better, too. I didn't bring you any tea, but next time I will."

'If there is a next time,' Zuko thought.

"You're favorite kind is jasmine. I remember that. Jasmine tea that is steaming hot. You've always hated cold teas. Even on the hottest days of the year, I remember that you'd always drink your tea when it was still steaming. I never understood how you could drink it that hot; I'd always burned my tongue on that stuff."

Zuko sighed.

What was he doing here? Just making his uncle listen to his ramblings? What would this change? What the hell was he even doing here? He should be in the palace, being princely, or be in the capitol city, being treated like a god wherever he went, or be with Mai, being treated like the awkward teenage boy that he was.

But no. He was here, being a jerk to his uncle.

The feeling of it punched him in the stomach. He stood up and slammed the door as he rushed out of the prison. He couldn't stand the stench anymore. He needed a bath.

xoxo

Mai joined Azula and Ty Lee at the same tea shop the next day. They took their usual spot in the center cubby, pulled the sheer curtains closed, and sipped their tea. This time, flute music was being played, and the guzheng was nowhere in sight.

"Are we going to have a nice evening this time, or are you going to get mad again?" Azula asked Mai.

"Depends on what you have to say," Mai replied.

Ty Lee munched down on her fire flakes, hoping that another fight wouldn't break out between the two of them. She watched them carefully, and was relieved to see that neither of them were about to snap. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"So Ty Lee," Azula said, "I've noticed you've been also quiet the past couple of days."

"Yeah," she replied. "I guess I just haven't had much to say."

"You? Of all people?" Azula asked. "You've always had something to say, even when we were kids."

Ty Lee shrugged. "Guess I'm just growing up."

"Growing up?" Mai asked, arching an eyebrow. "Ty Lee, yesterday you stuffed twenty grapes in your mouth on a dare."

"Twenty-eight grapes, to be exact," Ty Lee said. "And I don't see how that matters."

"The day before that you sat in a tree for hours trying to get the iguana squirrels to trust you. You even tried mimicking their squeaks and thought you'd, 'learned their language,'" Azula said.

Mai nodded in agreement. "Not to mention the time that you tied ribbons to your legs and tried to do cartwheels, but ended up tripping on them and getting so tied up you had to drag yourself over to us."

"Or the time I caught you trying to lick your elbow," Azula said.

"If anyone can do it, it's me," Ty Lee said, trying to regain some of her lost dignity. "I'm flexible enough to do it, and someone said that I couldn't. I wanted to prove them wrong."

"You are flexible, Ty Lee," Azula said, "but are you flexible enough to kiss your own ass?"

Ty Lee snorted, Azula smirked, and Mai drank her tea.

After a long silence, Ty Lee said, "That's all in the past, anyway. No one just wakes up one day and is so adult-y. Even when you grow up, you're still a little bit kiddish."

"Whatever you say," Mai said with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh come on, Mai! It's fun to kick back and have fun!" Ty Lee said.

"You have such a way with words," Mai said.

Azula chuckled and took another long sip of her tea. Listening to her friends bicker was one of her guilty pleasures, and she appreciated Mai's wit and dark sense of humor when it came to conversations with her. As Mai and Ty Lee went back and forth, Azula sipped her tea and watched.

Finally, Mai sighed in defeat. Ty Lee smiled wide, then turned to Azula. "Are we going to do the same thing tomorrow? Come to the tea shop, I mean?"

"Probably not," Azula answered.

"What about the day after that? Or the day after that day?" Ty Lee asked.

"I highly doubt it. I have an important war meeting coming up in three days, and I don't want to waste my time here when I could be preparing," Azula said.

"What do you need to prepare for?" Ty Lee asked.

"You couldn't possibly begin to understand," Azula said. "A royal war meeting is highly important. Probably more important than anything you'd ever do in your whole life. I need to be ready."

"Not perfect enough, are you?" Mai asked, a slight smirk on her face.

"Perfection isn't given. You must work for it," Azula said. Her lips broke into a smile. "I've worked hard to achieve this."

"This?" Mai asked. "And what would 'this' be?"

"Isn't it obvious?" she said with a laugh. "I'm the woman who conquered Ba Sing Se. I'm the crown princess of this great nation. I'm brilliant and strong and…"

"Flexible?" Mai asked, arching an eyebrow.

Ty Lee bit her lip to try to stop laughing, but it wasn't working so well. At least she wasn't snorting.

"Not to mention a terrific kisser," Azula said.

Ty Lee erupted into laughter.

xoxo

Zuko groaned and rolled over onto his back, staring up at the dark ceiling. As he rolled, he jostled Mai, who was almost asleep. Her eyelids flickered open and her eyebrows creased.

Beside her, Zuko twitched and sighed, unable to get comfortable and sick of being awake. His mind was foggy with a dreamlike haze, though.

"Mai?" Zuko asked.

"What?" she groaned in reply.

"Are you awake?"

"No. I'm fast asleep and dreaming of seahorses. Of course I'm awake, I'm talking to you," Mai said.

"Is it a nice dream?" Zuko asked, his words slightly slurring.

Mai facepalmed. Honestly, there was something wrong with this man. Mai said, "Yeah it's really nice. In it, no one's waking me up and asking me stupid questions." Then, with a small smirk, she said, "And your sister's in it with her swim clothes on."

"What about my sister?" Zuko asked, blinking a few times and turning his head to look at her.

"Nothing," Mai said with a sigh. "It's not important, Please, for the love of our nation, go back to sleep!"

"I've been trying to sleep," Zuko said, "but I just can't get to sleep. I'm just so restless."

"I'm too tired to go again," Mai mumbled.

"I…" he coughed, "…I didn't mean it like that…"

Mai snuggled deeper into the covers, pushing her head deeper into the soft pillows, and started drifting off to sleep. But just as she started dreaming, she was jolted awake by Zuko again, this time as he rolled onto his side to stare out his windows, looking up at the waning moon in the sky.

And then, before she could even fall back asleep the next time, Zuko got up out of his bed and started pacing around the room. Mai found that she just couldn't sleep like that. So she sat up, glared at him, and said, "Do I have to knock you out to get you to sleep?"

"Maybe," Zuko said. "it couldn't hurt."

Mai stuck her hand out. "Well, I'm too tired to do it myself. Bash yourself again my palm until you're good."

Zuko chuckled a bit.

He wobbled back to the bed, only to trip over his own feet and fall flat on his face. Mai tucked her hand back under the covers and said, "A job well done."

But Zuko pushed himself back up, brushed himself off, and slid back underneath the covers next to Mai. He laid on his back, still staring up at the ceiling, thinking and wondering and trying to fall asleep.

"You know what's weird?" Zuko asked.

Mai scowled into the pillow.

"How awkward breathing is when you think about doing it. I mean…when you're breathing automatically it's so natural like you're not even doing it…and then you stop and think about it with your breath popping in and out of you like that…it feels so weird…"

Despite her best efforts, Mai had heard him. And, even worse, she had listened too. Now she was thinking about her breathing, the in and out that she was commanding. Air in lungs, air out of lungs.

"You're now aware of your breathing, too, huh?" Zuko asked.

"Why, Zuko, why?"

Zuko answered the question by flopping his arm over Mai's stomach and pulling himself into a cuddle with her. He was warm, and Mai tried to nestle into his touch. But soon enough, he was fidgeting again, and Mai just couldn't fall asleep with him doing that. Especially when he accidentally elbowed her in the back.

How romantic.


	23. The Bamboozled Betrothed

"People are starting to talk, Mai," Shoma said to her.

"It's early in the morning. That's normally when people start talking," Mai replied.

Shoma sighed and set her tea down, already dreading how this conversation was about to go. Mai seemed to sense it, too, but her body didn't betray her thoughts. They never did. 'Michi raised her strictly,' Shoma thought to herself.

"Mai. What I mean is that people are starting to talk about you and the prince. It's become the favorite gossip of palace servants, and even some of the firebenders are starting to take notice," Shoma told her.

"Because when firebenders are talking, that's when things are really bad," Mai said, arching an eyebrow.

"You know what I mean, Mai," Shoma replied. "I can't keep covering for you."

"I thought this was the New Fire Nation. One freed from the shackles of barbaric and backwards traditions," Mai said.

She and Shoma had both heard that phrase so many times that it was almost a parody of itself by now. And now, as she sat across the table from her Aunt Shoma, she realized just how empty that statement just might be.

"…You didn't…" Mai gasped, nearly dropping her cup of tea.

"No. I didn't. I'm not your mother, Mai, but I'm not your friend either. I am your aunt, and I am looking out for you and your wellbeing. You need to start thinking about the future, Mai, about longterm effects of your actions now. I know. I've been in your shoes before. You're young and carefree and rebellious; you live in the moment and you're so in love and life has yet to hurt you yet. But Mai, for my sake, take my advice to heart," Shoma said.

Mai only stared down at her plate of food. Shoma reached across the table to take Mai's hand in her own. Mai looked up at her aunt and saw her smile at her. It was a warm smile, and Mai could tell that Shoma cared deeply for her.

Mai took a deep breath, trying to figure out what to say.

"So you don't want people to talk about us anymore?" Mai asked.

"Well…yes, that's a start…but that's not what I'm saying. Mai, don't you understand? This isn't something you can just throw your knives at," Shoma said.

"I'd still be worth a shot," Mai mumbled.

She and Shoma were quiet for a minute before Shoma released Mai's hands and picked up her cup of tea again. Mai mirrored her actions, and the two women drank their tea in awkward silence.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Shoma said, "Mai, let me make you a deal."

"What kind of deal?"

"I'm not restricting you or chaining you down inside the house. I believe kids need to be free to live their life while they can," Shoma said.

"But…?" Mai asked.

"Know this: if news about you and the prince and your…current relationship…extend outside of the caldera, then I will see to it that preparations are made for you and the prince to be engaged."

Mai went dry-mouthed. She tried to think of something, anything, to say, but no words came out. What could she say? Out of all of her arguments with her mother and father, she'd never had a topic like this brought up.

Her moods? Yes.

Her attitude? Yes.

Her sarcasm? Absolutely.

Her dark and gloomy appearance? Occasionally.

Her sex life and her possible engagement? Never.

And even then, it wasn't like she'd ever won an argument with either of her parents.

"Drink up," Shoma said to Mai, tapping the table to bring her back to reality. "We still have some tea left in the pot, and I want to drink it before it turns cold."

Mai nodded and swallowed, but she tasted nothing.

xoxo

"She said what?"

"You heard me," Mai snapped.

"But…but…she can't do that!"

"She can, though," Mai replied. "She knows how, and she doesn't make idle threats. I mean…I could be betrothed by this afternoon if she wanted."

"No!"

"Yes!" Mai said.

She took a deep breath to regain her composure. Smoothing her clothes down and donning her normal, stoic expression, she turned back to face Ty Lee. Ty Lee looked just about as bewildered as Mai had felt this morning.

"Well…look on the bright side," Ty Lee said, "you can't get married until you're at least seventeen. Fire Sages' rules."

"You know just as well as I do that if you're engaged, you might as well be married already," Mai said. "Especially for royal marriages."

"Yeah, but you'd get to be a princess," Ty Lee said, smiling and clapping her hands together. "Just like Azula. The two of you would be the beautiful Fire Nation princesses and I would be the royal acrobat!"

"Be serious, Ty Lee," Mai said.

"Why?" Ty Lee asked.

"Because I'm talking to you," Mai said.

"I know you're talking to me," Ty Lee said. "But what do you want me to tell you? That all the rumors will stop over night, your aunt will come to her senses, and you'll be free to travel the world on the back of a winged phoenix? 'Cause hey, I'd be happy to tell you that, but you wouldn't like it."

Mai scowled at her.

"See? Like right now! You don't like it!" Ty Lee said.

Mai sighed and turned away from her, looking out of her window at the trees and the iguana squirrels trying to eat tree bark.

"Oh, relax Mai. Stop be so cynical. It gets old after a while," Ty Lee said.

"I can imagine," Mai snapped. "Kinda like how constant bubbly-ness never gets old."

Ty Lee laughed. "Bubbly-ness," she giggled. "Honey you can't say that in an angry voice. Ever."

"Don't call me honey!" Mai snapped.

"Sorry dear."

"Don't call me that either!" Mai said.

"Okay. Okay. Sorry Mai."

Mai huffed and walked over to Ty Lee's bed. She sat down on the edge, arms crossed and lips pursed. Ty Lee scooted over to where she was, not saying anything but looking at her friend as she sat brooding over her misfortune. Eventually, Mai leaned back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling and relaxing.

Ty Lee leaned back with her, watching Mai watch the ceiling.

There were footsteps in the hallway, and she vaguely wondered if Azula had called her for lunch. But no one interrupted them, and Ty Lee crossed her arms behind her head.

Eventually Ty Lee got bored.

"So do you wanna play twenty questions?" Ty Lee asked her.

"No."

"What about thirty questions?"

"No."

"A game of cards?"

"No."

"Pai Sho?"

"No."

"What about a game of flip the table?"

"Okay."

"Really?!" Ty Lee said, jumping up.

"No!" Mai snapped.

Ty Lee crossed her arms and slammed herself back down on the bed with a huff.

xoxo

"You always lie," Zuko said.

"I don't lie at all," Azula told him. She put a hand to her chest, faking offense. "To think that my own brother would say something like that."

Zuko rolled his eyes and took a large swig of his tea.

"Zuko, I heard it with my own ears. You and Mai are going to be engaged if you don't straighten up."

"I haven't done anything wrong!" Zuko told her.

"I know that. But 'the elders' would think otherwise," she said. Azula sat down next to Zuko, poured herself of cup of steaming tea, and continued. "Just think what our father would say if he found out—"

"Enough, Azula!" Zuko said. "I've had just about enough of you."

Azula frowned. "Fine. Don't listen to me. If you want to be betrothed at sixteen, then by all means, go ahead and keep sleeping with your girlfriend."

Zuko nearly growled at the comment.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down and keep himself from biting his sister's head off.

"…Let's suppose you're right…" Zuko choked out.

"I am right," Azula told him. "If you don't believe me, then go ask Mai. Or better yet, ask her fuddy-duddy aunt. Just think, one more slip-up and you'll be a fiancé sooner than you can say 'wedding dress.'"

"Why are you telling me this?" Zuko asked.

"For the same reason I warned you about Uncle, and the same reason I offered you redemption in Ba Sing Se. Because I'm looking out for you."

Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Come now, Zuko. I know you're not the brightest candle in the bunch, but think about it for a minute. You and Mai have been the topic of conversation. Even I've noticed how often Mai is here early in the morning. Neither of you are very subtle. Are you really so dumb as to think that you've fooled everyone?" Azula asked him.

Zuko turned over her words in his head. She was right. People had noticed. And people were talking. New Fire Nation or old Fire Nation, sex outside of marriage or betrothal was was still a royal taboo.

He slammed his cup of tea onto the table.

"I've got to go talk to Mai!" he said and marched out the door.

Azula sipped down the last of her tea before saying, "Oh, I've got to see this." She stood up and rushed out the door behind him, following him all the way to Ty Lee's room.

He banged so hard on the door that Mai and Ty Lee thought that he was about to break it down. They both jumped up, hands placed over their hearts, eyes wide with surprise.

"What?!" Mai called out.

Zuko burst into the room, looking like a scared, wild dog. Mai glanced from him to Azula, analyzing her calm, bemused demeanor.

Of course.

Azula had gotten him worked up over nothing and here he was to freak out. Just what she didn't want to deal with.

"Zuko…" Mai began.

"Are we engaged?!" Zuko asked.

Mai glanced at Ty Lee, then at Azula. She definitely didn't want to have this conversation, especially not here, in front of her friends who were probably judging. Heat rose to her cheeks but she sighed it away, giving him her best stoic gaze.

"No, Zuko. We are not engaged," Mai hissed, keeping her voice low. She hoped he would get the message and not yell out his questions.

He didn't.

"Are we going to be engaged?"

"It depends," Mai said quietly.

"Depends?" Zuko asked, befuddled. "Depends on what?"

Mai glanced from Ty Lee to Azula before looking back at him. "Can't we discuss this in private?" Mai whispered.

"Private? But this is my room!" Ty Lee said.

"And this is my house," Azula chimed in.

"Don't be selfish; get out!" Zuko said, shuffling them both out the door and then closing it behind them, the lock sliding into place with a loud click.

As soon as the door was closed, Ty Lee and Azula pressed their ears up against the door, trying to make out what they were saying. Not an easy feat when the door was made of solid wood.

Zuko turned back to Mai, who was just sitting on the bed, arms crossed, looking at him with tired eyes.

"Depends on what?" Zuko repeated.

"My aunt made me a deal. If gossip leaves the caldera, then we're going to be engaged like that!" Mai snapped her fingers.

Zuko stared at her dumbly for a second before it finally clicked in his head. "So if people outside the royal city are talking about us, then we have to get married?"

"Exactly," Mai said.

"So all we need to do is stop the rumors," Zuko said, putting his hand to his chin and staring at the ground.

"Or, at the very least, stop them from leaving the city," Mai said.

"Right," Zuko muttered. He started pacing back and forth, his face looking so pained it was like he was sitting on a pinecone. "So we need to stop the rumors. If not for our own sake, then for our reputation…right?"

"Sure. Why not?" Mai said.

"I mean, if people start thinking that we're acting unhonorably—"

"Oy," Mai said, pinching her brows to stop an incoming headache. "Zuko, there's rumors about us. We're not as sneaky as we want to think. I don't want to be engaged yet, but you need to stop acting like its the end of the world. Didn't you once say that you weren't bothered by the fact that we might one day be engaged? Back a couple of nights ago?"

"I'm not acting like its the end of the world," Zuko said.

Of course that would be the only thing he heard. "Zuko, you're acting like you're trying to outwit prison guards sent to execute you," Mai said.

"You know what I like best about you?" Zuko asked her. "How cheerful you are."

Mai rolled her eyes.

"I just need how to figure out how to keep the rumors from spreading," Zuko thought aloud.

"Have you tried threatening them?" Azula shouted through the door.

Zuko looked appalled. He turned his head towards the door, knowing that his sister and Ty Lee were probably pressed right up against it. Mai had to laugh at the expression on Zuko's face. If his jaw dropped any lower, it was going to fall off.

"A—Azula!" Zuko stammered, yelling at the door. "Get out of here!"

"No!" Azula shouted back.

Zuko banged his fist against the door. Neither girl backed away from the door. They still stood there, ears pressed against the wood, listening to Zuko try to shoo them away. Finally, he unlocked the door and threw it open, staring at the two of them and almost breathing fire.

"Would you like to hear my idea?" Azula asked him.

"No!" he snapped.

"Oh, come on, Zuko!" Ty Lee said. "If Azula planned it, it's probably really, really good." She bounced back into the room and landed on her bed, the mattress flopping and the sheets snapping. Mai pressed her feet into the floor to keep from flying off.

"I'm not gonna start murdering people!" Zuko said.

"I never said anything about murder!" Azula snapped at him. "Really when have I ever said anything about murder? Ty Lee?"

"Never," Ty Lee agreed.

"Not even once," Mai added.

Zuko growled in defeat. There was no sense in arguing with them, especially not with his sister. In addition to being the perfect daughter, a child prodigy, and the most decorated war hero in the nation, she was also the best at arguing. He slammed the door closed.

"Now listen to me, Zuko," Azula said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Zuko looked at her hand like it was poisonous.

"Oh! Oh!" Ty Lee said, jumping up onto her knees and sticking her hand in the air. "And if that doesn't work, I have a plan too."

"My plan will work," Azula told her with a smile. "My plans always work."

"Well maybe he'll like mine better," Ty Lee said, her smile fading.

"I'm willing to listen," Zuko told Ty Lee. That made her perk back up.

"You know…" said Mai, "I think I might even have a plan as well."

Zuko slapped his forehead. Honestly, these three were as draining as leeches when all put together. "Fine, let's hear 'em," Zuko mumbled, walking over to Ty Lee's bed and flopping down on the mattress next to Mai.

"Oh my!" Ty Lee said, giggling and putting her wrist to her head. "The crowned prince has found his way into my bed. What is an innocent girl like me supposed to do?" she asked with a laugh.

Mai tried not to smirk at her joke. Azula merely huffed, barely amused.

"If you want him out of your bed, ask him about infrastructure. He'll be too busy talking about that to even lay down," Mai said, a smile on her face but no laughter on her lips.

"Why, I shall take your advice, my cherished friend!" Ty Lee said, flinging her hand down from her forehead and bunching them together in front of her chest. She looked down at Zuko and said, "My kind prince, please bequeath to me your brilliance of future infrastructure plans! I am eager to hear your most esteemed ideas, my prince!"

"Both of you shut up," Zuko grumbled.

"Have I displeased my prince?!" Ty Lee said, dramatically flinging her head back. "I lament in my woe!"

A smile twitched on Azula's lips and Mai nearly chuckled. Nearly.

Kicking off her boots, Azula crawled up onto the bed with her friends and brother, sitting cross-legged as the rest of them began to relax and sprawl out.

"Oh my!" Ty Lee gasped again. "Two royals in my bed! Why, I can only imagine what poor little me did to deserve such attention from my honorable sovereigns," she said.

Azula tried not to blush. All Ty Lee was doing now as making it awkward.

"I swear to you, my liege, that I shall honor my nation in pleasing y—"

"So let's hear about those plans!" Zuko said, sitting up suddenly. He pointed his gaze at the ground, not wanting anyone to see how red he'd gotten.

"Mine first?" Ty Lee asked hopefully.

Azula nodded. Mai did nothing.

"Great! You're going to love it, Zuko," Ty Lee said. She waited until she knew she had the prince's full attention before beginning. "So this is what we're gonna do. We'll spread another rumor, but one that isn't about you two at all. Something weird and juicy that no one can't not talk about! People will be talking about that so much that you guys will be yesterdays news!"

"While your logic isn't flawed," Azula said, "there is one problem. What rumor do you intend to spread?"

"Hmm," Ty Lee hummed, putting a hand to her chin. "I hadn't actually thought about that. Let me think, let me think…"

The three of them waited in silence for Ty Lee to say something. Eventually Zuko turned back around to look at them, his face back to a normal color.

"I've got it!" Ty Lee said, snapping her fingers. "We'll tell everyone that General Shi has an extra toe!"

"Try harder," Azula told her.

"Okay, okay, let me think…" Ty Lee said. Then, "Okay! We'll tell everyone that I have an extra toe."

"How noble of you to martyr yourself for us," Mai said. "But no."

"Well, fine," Ty Lee said, placing her hands on her hips. "Let's hear your foolproof plan, then."

"I wouldn't say it's foolproof," Mai said, "but it is better than your's."

"We'll be the judge of that," Azula said.

"My idea was to just stop incriminating ourselves," Mai said. She sat up and turned to Zuko. "Go back to how things were before…" She turned bright pink as Ty Lee and Azula stared at her. She knew that they knew what she meant. But it was only Zuko's reaction she cared about.

Zuko sobered for a moment before furrowing his brows again. "Let's hear Azula's idea," he said, turning to his sister.

Mai sighed. They'd talk later. When they were alone.

"And you better not just say 'threaten them,'" Zuko added, right before his sister could speak.

"Zuzu, please. Give me more credit than that," she said with a roll of her eyes. "No. It's more complicated than that."

"I'm sure we'd all love to hear it," Mai said.

Azula ignored her friend's flat tone and said, "Listen. Here is what you need to do to stop the rumors and live happily unengaged. To begin with, you can't be so obvious in your actions."

"Brilliant," Mai mumbled. No one had ever thought of that.

"By which I mean, stop trusting the palace servants to keep your secrets. None of them can be trusted with royal secrets, or any secrets at all for that matter. Whatever they see or hear will end up being passed around like plague with them. Secondly, you and Zuzu need to find a way to discredit the rumors. Or perhaps find a flaw in them. Once you know what exactly is being said, you can begin to manipulate the public's perception of your relationship. If the main gossip is that you are in the palace too much, you need to start to establish alibis and keep points."

By now, Mai was only half-listening to Azula drone on and on. She was a genius strategist, to be sure, but in all honesty she was reading way too much into this. Mai thought that she wasn't even that invested in her friend's and brother's life, but was just showing off her manipulative prowess.

Ty Lee, on the other hand, was completely enrapture by Azula's words. She'd always marveled at how complex and intricate Azula's mind was, and now she got to hear how exactly Azula was able to achieve what she did.

Zuko didn't want to be listening, but he did. He knew that being engaged to Mai wasn't the end of the world, nor was it even that bad. And there was a part of him that had warmed up to the idea; a part of him that did want to marry her, maybe one day. A part of him that said being Mai's husband would be nice and he wouldn't regret it. But he was just a teenager, for hell's sake! Far too young. And he was still far too immature. Besides, what if Mai and him were just silly teenagers in love?

"Next, establish a secret rendezvous. Hiding your relationship from the public will eventually begin to calm the rumors. No fuel, no fire."

"That's all very nice, Azula," Mai said, sitting up on her elbows, "but this problem is too small to be relevant. Why waste all that energy?"

"I agree with Mai," Zuko said. "I'm sure that if the two of us just start being more subtle, this problem will go away on it's own."

"You're a fool to think that," Azula replied. "If you don't take direct action and instead just hope for things to work out, you will never accomplish anything."

"She's right," Ty Lee said. "You must be proactive!"

"We're not conquering an Earth Kingdom city this time," Mai said shortly. "We're talking about silly rumors that aren't even worth our time."

"But think of the impact they will have on your life!" Ty Lee said. A moment of silence ticked by before Ty Lee said, "Oh! I have another idea!"

"I can't wait to hear it," Mai said sarcastically.

"Well, if you really want to keep the rumor from getting outside, then we could build a wall around the caldera. That way no one gets in or out, and the rumor will stay put right in here!" She placed her hands on her hips and proudly beamed.

"Better yet, we could build a moat and fill it with sharks and alligator-squid," Zuko said sarcastically.

"Yeah, we could," Ty Lee said, not taking the hint.

Everyone rolled their eyes and slapped their foreheads.

"Was it something I said?" Ty Lee asked innocently. But she smirked, just for a second. She wasn't that dumb.

"You know, he and I will just figure it out ourselves," Mai said, getting up off of the bed. "Thanks for nothing."

"No problem," Azula said with a smirk.

"Anytime," Ty Lee said with a smile.

"Hey, wait," Zuko said with a hand grabbing her cuff. "Where are you going?"

"To our secret rendezvous," she said with a smirk. "You know the place."

She stroked his cheek as she walked out the door, leaving him befuddled and hungry for her touch. He licked his lips, watching the door close behind her. When he looked back at Azula and Ty Lee, they both looked away and started whistling nonchalantly.


	24. Rendezvous

It was where they’d had their sunset picnics, and their up-all-night dates, and their “picnics” where Mai would whisper his name and he would moan hers back. It was their own little secret place, away from the clutter of the Capitol City, away from the prying eyes of hundreds of people, away from the entire world. It was just them and the land around them.

So of course it was where Mai wanted to meet him.

She sat on a boulder, looking out at the horizon, watching as the sun slowly sank towards the sea. She heard him approach, but she did not turn to greet him. 

He sat down next to her, watching the sun sink slower down in the sky. Neither of them said anything, but Zuko kept giving her sidelong glances, trying to guess what was in her mind. Her face betrayed nothing, and her body was too relaxed. Zuko reached out, and took her hand in his, giving it a soft squeeze.

Mai still didn’t turn to look at him, but she squeezed his hand back. 

Just that small little act made Zuko smile.

“The sky is beautiful,” Zuko said.

“Are you scared?” Mai asked him.

Zuko knew what she was talking about. He sighed and said, “No. Are you?”

Mai was silent. Only an occasional sigh broke the silence that had settled in over the couple. Though neither minded the silence, they could feel the air thick with words needing to be said.

“Mai…?” Zuko asked. 

“Hmm?”

“Are you scared?” he asked her.

“No,” Mai said. She sounded so unsure. “I have no reason to be scared. It’s not a monster. It’s not going to eat me or drown me or…” She stopped and sighed again. 

She wasn’t scared. But there was still this heavy feeling on her chest, and she didn’t know what it was or how to get rid of it. It wasn’t scary at all, but there was something about it that felt wrong. Something about it that she hated so much that she wanted to run away from.

“It’s burdensome,” Zuko said, giving Mai’s hand another squeeze. “When I was in the Earth Kingdom, things were hard, but there was a certain freedom in the things I did, too. I was weighed down by my past, but I could choose my own fate. I could choose so little, with no money and little authority and no social standing…but I could still choose my own fate. It was freeing, in a way.”

Mai turned her head to look at him. 

She loved it when he talked like this. It was like he was sharing a part of his soul with her and no one else, and it made her glow inside. Only he could make her feel this way. Only he could make her smile.

“What are you getting at, Zuko?” she quietly asked him.

“Your aunt trying to marry us off,” he said. “Having her make that decision for you. Not being able to control your own life. At the mercy of a bargain you never agreed to.” He sighed, remembering his father’s face when he announced that Zuko was banished. It felt like a knife twisting in his heart.

“Yes…” Mai said, the realization suddenly dawning on her. That’s what made it hard for her to breath; she had no control. Her life was just a game, and she was just a pawn for other people. It was a cage that was closing in around her, and she hated it. That’s why she wanted to run, that’s why she wanted to fight. 

A prison was a prison, not matter how nice.

“It doesn’t matter what your aunt says,” Zuko told her, looking back out at the sunset. “You can control your own life, create your own destiny instead of waiting for it to come to you.”

“You’re speaking from experience,” Mai said.

“Yeah,” Zuko said. “I am.” 

He thought of his uncle in the Crystal Chambers, and of Azula with her Dai Li agents. He thought about the look on the Avatar’s face, and of the look on Katara’s face. He thought of that split moment before he made his decision, looking back in forth between her and his sister, trying to decide which path to go down. 

His life was wonderful, perfect even. He had Mai, and she made it all worthwhile. She was the only thing that kept him happy and sane anymore. She was a raft in the middle of an ocean, saving him from giving up and letting that chaos take him.

But even with Mai, he still felt like he’d made the wrong choice. He’d pushed that thought down so many times, but it just kept coming back, over and over again. Whenever it surfaced, he imagined Mai. He imagined her laying up against him, smiling softly, talking to him in hushed tones. But not even she could make everything right.

“Mai…” he started to say.

“Yes?” she asked.

He couldn’t continue. 

How the hell was he supposed to explain to her that he felt that treason would have been the better choice? How could she ever begin to understand? She’d never lived among the Earth Kingdom people, she’d never know anything other than Fire Nation propaganda, she’d never known anything besides her life as a noblewoman, growing up admist the royal family, taught from birth that the Fire Nation was the greatest nation on Earth.

“Nothing,” he said. “I just really like you.” 

Mai smiled softly. “I like you too.”

“I’m glad,” he said.

Mai leaned her head on his shoulder, and Zuko leaned into her. He stroked her hand with his thumb and Mai smiled wider. She closed her eyes, the sunset fading into darkness, and let herself breathe him in. He smelled sweet, clean, and his hair felt so soft up against her face. 

“Tell me more about the Earth Kingdom,” Mai said.

“What?” Zuko asked.

“Tell me more about the Earth Kingdom,” she said a bit louder. “I only bothered to know Omashu and Ba Sing Se. And they were both horrible, boring places. Is all the Earth Kingdom like that?”

“No,” Zuko said, “there are plenty of interesting places in the Earth Kingdom.” He paused, trying to think of something. “The Si Wong Desert, for instance.”

“A desert?” Mai asked. “Nothing but sand and heat stroke. Sounds fascinating.”

“Yeah, it was kinda boring,” Zuko said, “but there was some kinda rumor about a spirit library and an angry owl spirit.”

“Why can’t rumors like that circulate around here?” Mai asked with a sigh.

“Give it time. Maybe something interesting will start getting spread around,” Zuko said.

“I’m sure,” Mai said sarcastically.

“There was this little village I visited. Wasn’t much to talk about, but I got into a fight with a gang of armed men and won,” Zuko said. He fought the urge to tell her more; about Lee, and him firebending before being shunned and ran out of town, and the family treating him so nice.

“Sounds like something you would do,” Mai said.

“I won,” he said.

“I heard,” Mai said. “Anything else?”

“One time I ganged up with a band of pirates to capture the Avatar. Also worked too,” he said. He sighed; those days seemed like a millions years ago now.

“What happened?” Mai asked.

“They backstabbed me. Then later they tried to kill me,” Zuko said.

“Yeah, that sounds like something pirates would do,” Mai said. 

“Yeah, it really does…” Zuko agreed. But he was young and stupid back in those days. Of course, he was still young and stupid. But now at least he knew better than to make deals with pirates.

“Anything else?” Mai asked. 

“Commander Zhao tried to kill me,” Zuko mumbled.

“Zhao…” Mai whispered. “That name sounds familiar, but I can’t place him.”

“Middle aged, big sideburns, bad temper,” Zuko said.

“You’ve just described most commanders around here,” Mai said with a chuckle. “Does it really matter if I know him or not?”

“Guess not,” Zuko said. “He didn’t kill me, though.”

“Clearly.”

“He died during the Siege of the North,” Zuko said. “He was killed by an angry moon spirit that took the form of a giant glowing koi fish made out of water and piloted by the Avatar.”

“That has to be the weirdest sentence I have ever heard,” Mai said.

“It was even weirder watching it,” Zuko said with a laugh. “I bet you wish you could have been there.”

“You’re right about that,” Mai said. “Anything would beat just sitting around in Omashu, listening to my father talk about food rations and political intrigue.” She scowled in remembrance. “I remember one time I was so bored that I actually fell asleep sitting upright. My eyes were open and everything.”

“I can believe that,” Zuko said. “I guess being playmates with Azula wasn’t that bad, then, huh?”

“Not in comparison,” Mai said. “Still, it’s not like I had any choice in the matter about that either. One day my mother said I was going to be friends with the princess, and the next thing I knew I was turning cartwheels in the palace garden with her and Ty Lee.” She thought for a moment, and then said, “Still. It wasn’t a bad way to spend my childhood. It was interesting, at the very least. Ty Lee was always challenging us to do more and more dangerous stunts.”

“Like what?” Zuko asked. He vaguely remembered watching the girls play when he was younger.

“Like climb to the top of the tree and then jump off, landing on the ground with a somersault. Or when she tried to have us balance on a wobbly tree branch while standing on our hands.” Mai shook her head and sighed. “At least she never tried to set me on fire, though.”

“It’s always nice to not get set on fire,” Zuko said. 

Mai hoped he didn’t notice her glancing at his scar. He didn’t look like he did.

“Can’t argue with that,” Mai said.

“Who would?” Zuko asked.

Mai’s grip on his hand tightened. He pulled away and looked at her. She smiled at him, her eyes scanning his face, and then she leaned forward to kiss him. Zuko closed his eyes and Mai’s lips pressed against him and her hand pressed against the back of his neck. 

Zuko wrapped his arms around Mai’s back. He pulled her into the kiss, deeper, his hands sliding up her back, his fingers grabbing at her clothes.

When they broke apart the kiss, they both sighed, looking at each other with half-closed eyes and giddy smiles. 

Mai touched Zuko’s cheek, her thumb brushing across his lips. Zuko grabbed her hand and pressed kisses to her fingertips. Mai watched him, drinking in the sight. When he stopped, his golden eyes looked up into her eyes, and Mai felt herself blushing. 

But she didn’t care.

Her index finger pressed against his lips, and he kissed it. Parting his lips, he sucked on it gently, and Mai shifted her hips. When Zuko was done kissing her fingers, he put her hand back on his cheek.

Mai couldn’t resist; she leaned back into him, wrapping her hands around his neck and pulling him in for another kiss. 

His lips were as warm as sunlight, and his hands were caressing her back, pulling her in closer and closer until she was sitting on his lap. Mai parted her legs slightly and felt Zuko’s knee right at the juncture in between her legs. She shifted her hips again, only to feel a sudden rush of sexual pleasure. 

She did it again. 

Mai didn’t care if it was vulgar. She felt amazing and Zuko loved it when she was like this. Raw passion and no inhibitions; it was honest and intimate and it was making his heart pound. As Mai shifted back and forth on his knee, Zuko got hard. 

Just as Mai was about to reach between her legs to quickly rub her clitoris, she felt Zuko’s erection up against her butt. 

Excitement rushed through her. 

“No one’s here,” Zuko whispered, his lips brushing against her cheek. “We could probably get away with it here.”

“Maybe,” Mai whispered back. “But if someone sees us, the entire Fire Nation would probably know about us.” A second ticked by before she said, “But I’m willing to risk it.”

Zuko smiled and hugged her.

Mai kissed his cheek, hugging him back, letting her hands roam over her body. Her hands moved to his waist, where she began to untie his belt. As she did, Zuko unsnapped her vest, and pushed it off of her shoulder. 

He kissed her shoulder. He kissed her neck. He kissed her chest. Through the fabric of her clothes, he kissed her breasts, cupping them both with his hands. 

Mai ran her fingers through his hair as he kissed her. She was blushing and smiling and making a complete fool of herself, but no one was around to stop her. No one was around to tell her how to behave or to act like a “proper young lady.”

She gasped as Zuko picked her up and spun them both around. He set her down on the ground, her clothes cushioning her. Mai kicked off her shoes as Zuko laid down on top of her, shrugging off his robes to meet her bare skin with his.

Mai wrapped her legs around him as he kissed her, and Zuko gripped her hips to pull her up. She could feel his erection pressing against her labia through the fabric of his underwear. Blood rushed between her legs. 

Zuko pulled at the strings of his waistband, and his underwear was slipping down his hips, landing on the ground around his knees. He leaned forward, his erection brushing up against her stomach. 

Mai reached down to stroke it, her hand moving up and down over his shaft. On his head, a bead of precum wet his skin, and Mai slid her thumb over the fluid. Zuko smiled and kissed her, his hips thrusting forward as she held him in her hand. 

As Mai’s hand moved up and down his cock, he put his fingers to her labia, circling the soft, warm skin until he could find her clitoris. He moved his fingers back and forth over her clitoris, making her jump and sigh each time he flicked her clitoris. He began rubbing circles around it, and stroking it up and down, and pushing it from side to side. 

Mai’s hand tightened around his cock until she was nearly squeezing it like a tourniquet. 

“Mai,” Zuko grunted, trying to make her lessen her grip. 

She didn’t hear him. Her head was tossed back, her nerves were alight with pleasure, and her body was shaking. Her hips wildly thrashed in the air, Zuko’s still hand still pressed up against her clitoris. She moved against his fingers until she climaxed. She gasped out his name, her eyes closing and her entire body flushing red.

Zuko forgot all about the pain in his penis as he watched her. 

She was so beautiful. 

More beautiful than the sunset or the moon at night; more beautiful than the ocean or a forest in spring; more beautiful than the sun or stars.

And she wasn’t just beautiful; she was breathtaking. In that moment, in that single moment as Zuko watched her orgasm, he could believe that she was as breathtaking as a goddess.

When she came back to reality, she noticed that she was gripping his penis too hard. She let it go with a small gasp, saying, “I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”

“No. Not too much,” Zuko said, looking down between the two of them. He sat back on his knees, giving his penis a few strokes. Nothing hurt, though it was a bit sensitive. 

“Are you okay?” Mai asked. 

“Yeah, I’m good,” he said. He looked back up at her and smiled. “I’m perfect.” 

Mai smiled and blushed, looking down. 

Zuko laid back over her, laying her back down on the ground. Zuko stroked himself as he kissed her, teasing her by letting his cock brush up against her body. Mai moaned, wanting more. Her body was still sensitive from orgasm, and she could feel every little touch from him. She wanted him; she wanted him so badly it hurt. 

“Zuko,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and sinking her nails into his shoulders. “Stop teasing me,” she told him. “I’m ready, get inside me.”

Zuko let go of his cock to put his fingers inside of her body. She closed her eyes and hissed as his fingers curled inside of her, thrusting in and out of her vagina, making her sensitive nerves tingle with pleasure all over again.

“Zuko,” she hissed, her brows knitting. “Stop teasing me,” she said again. 

Zuko smiled and put his forehead up against hers. Mai gasped and her eyes flew open. “Zuko,” she choked out right before her eyes squeezed shut.

He had thrust inside of her, burying himself as deep as he could go, and Mai’s reaction was almost better than the feeling of it. Almost. He slowly slid his cock in and out, panting, focusing on the feeling of her warm, wet body. It felt like silk surrounding him, clenching around him, pulling him into her.

Mai thrust her hips up to meet him. He was thick and hard inside of her, and she loved every second of it. 

And his body was warm. Oh. So. Warm.

He was so warm that when he came in her, it felt like fire spreading through her body. Painless fire that spread through her as he gave the few final thrusts into her body, savoring the last of it. Painless fire that coated her labia as he pulled out, his penis soft and cute again. Painless fire that dripped down her legs as she sat up and started draping her clothes over her body.

“That was perfect,” Zuko said as he tied his pants around his waist.

“Yeah,” Mai breathed. “It really was.”

Zuko cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Mai hugged him, pushing herself deeper into the kiss, and then laid her head against his bare chest. He still felt as warm as sunshine, and she wanted to bask in that glow all night long. 

Zuko wrapped his arms around her protectively as Mai snuggled into his embrace. He stroked her silken hair as the sun finally disappeared from the sky, leaving the two lovers cloaked in the darkness of twilight.


	25. All Night Long

After their rendezvous, the spent the night apart.

After all, there was no need to feed the rumors. They could spend a night apart, and many more nights, too. They'd been doing that almost their entire lives. Even if they could only meet when the sun was high in the sky, it would be enough. They would make it enough. They would make it satisfying.

They both went to bed happy and smiling, feeling as though they had the sun in their hearts. Even Shoma noticed that Mai was practically glowing when she got home that night. Neither said anything about it.

Zuko laid in bed for a long time, smiling to himself, his hands crossed over his heart. She loved him, and he loved her. She made him so happy, and he wanted to be with her that night, and the next night, and the night after that. She was beautiful and sweet and passionate. He was the only one who got to see that side of her, and he felt blessed.

All night long he dreamed of her, and she dreamt of him. Sweet, pleasant, wet dreams that filled their heads as the night crept on. Mai turned onto her back, her hands laying crossed over her breast, while she thought of tomorrow.

Zuko had promised that he would come over tomorrow, and she could barely wait.

xoxo

When Zuko walked out of the palace the next morning, he was in the best mood he'd ever been in since he'd come home. As the gateway doors opened, Zuko was greeted by a crowd of people, mostly young women, all of whom delighted in seeing him. Some were blushing, some were laughing, some were even cheering.

Zuko smiled.

"Sir?" said one of the palace servants.

Zuko turned around to see an old servant bowing to him, along with four other holding an empty palanquin on their shoulders.

"Prince Zuko, is something wrong? You didn't take the palanquin," said the servant.

"I'm just going to Mai's house," Zuko said. "It's not far."

"It's not a prince's place to walk anywhere, sir," said the servant with another bow.

Zuko smiled again, and let the servants carry him over to Mai's. She was standing on the front steps, waiting for him. She tried to control her giddiness, and when she saw Zuko, she smiled and waved at him, eager for him to come inside so they could begin their date.

xoxo

Aunt Shoma was absent, but the palace servants wouldn't leave them alone. No matter where they walked, no matter what they did, the servants would stand at the doors waiting on them…and watching them.

Finally accepting that they weren't going to have any real privacy, the two decided to curl up on the couch together, ignoring the servants and speaking in hushed tones. The servants were as still as statues and as quiet as mice, so it was easy to forget about them. Soon, the two were too lost in each other's company to remember that they were even there.

The hours drifted by as the two of them made small talk and innuendos with each other. Mai was giggling and blushing, and it made Zuko so happy to see her that way. Really, Mai was so perfect. What would he do without her?

"I thought about you last night," Zuko told her.

"Really?" Mai asked. When he nodded, Mai smiled and whispered, "I thought about you too."

"I hope they were pleasant thoughts," Zuko said.

"Very," Mai replied. "My dreams are always pleasant when you're in them." She blushed again, looking down at their feet before looking back at him again. "It's also when I sleep the best," she said.

"I like it when you dream about me," Zuko whispered, his breath tickling her neck.

"So do I," Mai said. "You did say that you dreamed about me, right?"

"Yes. Of course," Zuko said. "I, uh…I think I mentioned it first, actually…"

"Oh," Mai said awkwardly, "right." Zuko brushed his lips against her cheek and Mai relaxed again. "What did you dream?" she asked.

"I dreamt about you and me. We were alone and happy, wrapped in each other's embrace, and we were lit by the glow of lava flow as it flowed past us like a river. It was a very romantic dream," Zuko said.

"Lava flow?" Mai asked.

"Yeah…in my dream we were by a volcano, watching it from a distance, and also back in our picnic spot at the same time…" Zuko said. "Dreams are kinda weird. But it was a wonderful dream. You were in it and we were like this."

"Like this?" Mai asked. "You mean wrapped up together, making pillow talk?"

"Yes," Zuko said. "Exactly like that."

"That sounds nice," Mai whispered.

"What was your dream about?" he asked her.

"It was about you. It was a really nice dream," Mai said.

"Anything interesting happen?" he asked.

"Well…to be honest, I can't remember a lot of it. But I know that it was about you, and that when I woke up, I felt really happy," Mai said.

"Yeah, that seems fair," Zuko said. Mai giggled at that.

Mai laid her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. Zuko began stroking her hair, and she smiled. Zuko smiled because she was smiling. Her hair smelled so sweet, like vanilla and sandalwood, and it was so soft and silky. Just like her skin. Just like all of her. He kissed her forehead, and Mai's smile grew wider.

"Mai…?" Zuko whispered after an hour or so had passed.

Mai lazily opened her eyes. Zuko's face swam into focus, and she smiled at him. "Sorry," she said. "Did I fall asleep?"

"I don't think so. You seemed pretty aware of me." Zuko blushed. "You even started blushing when I was…" He glanced at her breast quickly before looking back at her eyes.

"Oh," Mai said. "Well, I was really relaxed then."

"Yeah, most likely,"Zuko mumbled.

"What'd you wake me up for, anyway?" Mai asked.

"I wanted to talk to you some more," Zuko whispered. "I wanted to ask you something."

"What did you want to ask me?" Mai asked him.

"I wanted to ask if you were still awake," Zuko said.

Mai laughed. "Well, if I wasn't, you would have woken me up anyway," she said. "Yes, I'm still awake."

"Good," Zuko whispered, "because I wanted to look into your eyes some more."

Mai smiled and stroked his cheek. He really could be so romantic sometimes. A dorky kind of romantic, but romantic all the same. It made her heart swell to think that she was the one who brought it out of him, the one that made him act like a lover, and a damn good lover at that.

"You're blushing," Zuko said with a smile.

"I've been blushing all day," Mai said. "It's probably nothing new."

"Maybe not, but it's still so beautiful to see you blush," Zuko said.

"Thanks," Mai said sheepishly. She tried to look away and hide her embarrassed smile, but Zuko put his hand to her cheek, and turned her head to look him in the eyes.

His beautiful, golden eyes. Mai could get lost in them. Her lips parted as he leaned in, pressing a quick, innocent kiss to her lips. But Mai could tell from the intensity in his eyes that he wanted more than just innocent kisses. But the servants were there, and Zuko didn't want to embarrass himself in front of them.

Outside, night was starting to fall.

He felt so lazy, having spent the entire day on the couch with his girlfriend, but at the same time…he'd spent the whole day with his girlfriend. He sighed, looking out the window. He decided that when he went back to the palace, he would walk. Even if it was a short distance, he needed to stretch his legs.

"You okay?" Mai asked him, pulling him back to the present. "You look troubled."

"I'm not troubled," Zuko replied. "I'm with you."

Mai smiled and blinked. She ran her hand down his chest, then back up against, resting it against his heart. Could the day get any better?

Well, yeah. The servants could leave so they could actually be as romantic as they wanted. So they didn't have to crouch down on the couch in hopes of getting some privacy.

"Mai?"

"Hm?"

"Tell me, if you could have anything you want right now, what would it be?" Zuko asked.

"Hmm," Mai thought. She hadn't eaten in hours, so food was the first thing that came to her mind. "A big, fancy fruit tart, with rose petals on top."

"You know, being a prince and all, I might just be able to make that happen," Zuko said.

Mai giggled again. "That would be impressive," she said with a smile.

Zuko leaned up off the couch. "Do you think you could find a fresh fruit tart for the lady? With rose petals on top?" he asked the servants.

They both bowed. "An excellent choice sir," said the elderly one. The two servants walked out of the room, going to inform the kitchen staff.

Zuko settled back down on the couch and Mai cuddled back up to him.

"I guess there's some nice perks that come with being royalty," she said. "Though there's annoying stuff, too. Like that all-day war meeting coming up."

"War meeting?!" Zuko said, jumping up. "What are you talking about?!"

"Azula mentioned something. I—I assumed you were going, too" Mai said, unsure what to say. She could just see the dark clouds gathering over his head and the hurt in his eyes.

"I guess I wasn't invited," he said.

"Zuko…" Mai said, reaching out to touch his shoulder. He didn't flinch away from her; he'd barely even noticed that she was there.

"Your fruit tart, miss," one of the servants said as they walked back into the room.

Mai looked from Zuko, to the servants, and back at Zuko. He said nothing, did nothing. He only sat there, glaring at the floor, too lost in his own mind to say anything. Mai didn't know what she could possibly do to bring him out of this mood. In the past, the best thing she could do was to just let it run its course and wait for his mind to clear.

If only she hadn't said anything about that damned war meeting.

Mai got up from the couch and went over to the servants, taking the fruit tart from their waiting hands. The top was so filled with rose petals that some of them fell on the floor as she walked back to him.

She gave Zuko one last look before she began eating.

xoxo

It was past midnight when Zuko finally laid back down again.

The moon was high in the sky and the servants were almost asleep. Mai had long since finished her fruit tart, and she'd tried holding his hand, saying his name, even rubbing his shoulders to get him to come out of his dark mood. He'd only turned his head to face her twice before returning his gaze to the floor.

"What time is it?" he asked Mai quietly.

"I'm not entirely sure," Mai said. "It's late, I know that. Did you plan on going back to the palace tonight?"

"Why bother? It's not like anyone's going to miss me," Zuko said.

Mai sighed and furrowed her brows. She put a hand on his shoulder again, but the tension didn't leave his body. She tried massaging it, pressing her nails in and rubbing small circles into the muscles. Nothing.

With another sigh, Mai said, "I'll open a window. It's too stuffy in here."

The cool air rushed through the house the second the window slid open. The breeze brought the servants back to full alertness, and it got Zuko up off the couch. He walked over to the window where Mai stood, and leaned on the sill. Mai put her hand over his, but he ignored it.

xoxo

Around two in the morning, Mai excused the servants. They were too tired to insist they stay to wait on them; they bowed low and thanked her for her generosity, quickly heading off to take a nap.

Zuko was still at the windowsill, but he had finally relaxed. The tension in his muscles had melted away into a sluggishness that had him leaning up against the wall and resting his head on the sill.

Mai walked back over to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

He looked at her, only for a second, before looking back out at the city.

"It's getting late. I'm tired," Mai said with a yawn.

Zuko nodded, barely, and Mai went back over to the couch. Her eyelids began to droop and her body started to mold itself to the shape of the couch. Zuko still stood there at the window, brooding over the war meeting.

"You should sleep too," Mai said to him. "It will help ease your mind."

"My mind doesn't need to be eased. It needs to know why I wasn't invited to the war meeting," he said.

"Maybe you were, and your invitation was just forgotten," Mai suggested.

"Forgotten?" Zuko asked. "I'm the crowned prince of the Fire Nation. My invitation wouldn't have just been forgotten!"

"Well, maybe there's another reason. I'm sure that your father wants you there. Maybe he thought you didn't need an invitation, because you would show up regardless," Mai said.

Zuko scowled and turned back to the window. He breathed deep, filling his lungs with the fresh night air. It helped to clear his mind and calm his spirit, but he still held that angry uncertainty in him.

It was horrible, feeling unwanted. He felt like a thirteen year old child again, barred from the throne room unless summoned, watching the generals enter the war meetings and wondering what was going on in there. He remembered asking his father about a war meeting, once, and Ozai had said that it was none of his business. It stung back then, and it stung now.

Of course, back then, he didn't have his scar. Nothing had hurt quite as much as his fathering scarring him.

He glanced back at Mai, and saw that she was asleep on the couch. He went and found a blanket and tossed it over her.

"Goodnight," he said stiffly.

xoxo

When Mai woke up, Zuko was gone. She had fallen asleep on the couch, and someone, either the servants or the prince or her aunt, had tossed a blanket over her. The window from last night was still open, and the breeze was making her shiver.

She walked over and closed the window, and went to go get ready for the day. Facing her aunt would be easy. Facing Zuko was what was worrying her.

xoxo

Zuko marched in looking as moody as ever.

"Hello, Zuzu. If you've come for the royal hair-combing, I'm afraid you'll have to wait." Azula said, closing her eyes again as the servants ran their combs through her wet locks.

"So I guess there's a big war meeting coming up, huh? And apparently I'm not welcome there," Zuko said, pouting.

Azula fought the urge to roll her eyes. Honestly, he could be such a child sometimes. How he was the older sibling, Azula never knew, because he certainly didn't act like it sometimes.

"What do you mean?" she asked sweetly. "Of course you're welcome there!"

"Oh yeah?!" Zuko shot back. "I guess that's why no one bothered to tell me about it!"

"Oh, Zuko," Azula said with a sigh, "don't be so dramatic. I'm certain Dad wants you there. You probably just weren't invited because it's so obvious you're supposed to be there."

Zuko thought about that for a second. Maybe Azula was right. Maybe it was supposed to be so obvious, and he was just missing it. Maybe being away from home for so long had made him forget about war meeting formalities. Maybe the royal siblings didn't need need to be invited, because they could enter the meeting as they pleased. Maybe it was because they had a right to be there?

But back when he was thirteen, he had to have his uncle get him into it. And even then, he couldn't talk or do anything really. Just sit there and listen.

And Azula…she was fourteen, almost fifteen.

"Well, were you invited?" he asked her.

"Of course!" Azula said happily. "I'm the princess."

"And I'm the prince!" he snapped.

"Exactly!" Azula said, pointing a finger at him. "So stop acting like a paranoid child. Just go to the meeting," she told him.

"Forget it!" Zuko snapped. "I'm not going!" He turned on his heel and marched out the door.

Azula sighed. Really, why was Zuko so childish sometimes? She closed her eyes again and tilted her head back further into the water. The maid began to pour lavender oil into her hair and massage her scalp. Azula relaxed under her touch; it was soothing enough that she could fall asleep like this.

But then Zuko came marching back in, sheepishly asking, "So when is the next royal hair combing?"

"We will be done treating Azula's hair in another twenty-three minutes, Prince Zuko," the maid servant replied.

"'Kay," Zuko said, and shuffled off.

xoxo

Zuko went back to Mai's house that evening, holding a bouquet of fire lilies and snapdragons. The servants were rushing after him, holding the palanquin, wanting to ask him why he had walked to Mai's house. But he had ignored them, marching over the cobblestones and up to Mai's front door.

He pounded on the door, making it rattle on its hinges.

Mai opened the door. "Zuko?" she asked, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I—I'm happy to see you here. How are you?" she asked nervously.

Zuko pushed the bouquet towards her. "Here," he said. "These are for you."

"Thank…you…?" Mai said, taking the bouquet from his fist. "They smell lovely." The two stood in awkward silence for a minute before Mai stepped aside and said, "Please, come in."

Zuko nodded and stepped inside her house. Just before Mai could close the door, two servants darted in with him. Mai let them shuffle past her with a sigh. She slammed the door closed before any more could rush into the house. Locking the door, she went over to Zuko, who was standing at the threshold of the main room, waiting for her.

"Do you like them?" Zuko asked, glancing down at the flowers in her hand.

"Yes," Mai said. "They're very nice." She gestured to one of the servants, who stepped up to her with a quick bow. "Put these in some water," she told him. He took the flowers from her hand and went to go fetch a vase.

"I wanted to apologize for last night," Zuko said. "I…I was…angry…and upset. I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"You didn't," Mai told him. "Sure, you came off a little cold, but…it's understandable."

Zuko nodded and looked down, scowling at the floor. Mai reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, but thought better of it. With a sigh, she dropped her hand back to her side and looked down at his feet.

"Come on," Mai said, touching his arm. "Let's sit down. I'll have tea made for us."

Zuko nodded, still frowning at the floor, and followed her over to the couch. He sat down and propped his elbows up on his knees, his chin in his hands. Mai sat down next to him, scooting close to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. He glanced at her before returning his sight to the table in front of him.

"My Lady?" a servant asked.

Mai turned around to see the servant with a vase full of fire lilies and snapdragons in his hands.

"Where should I set these?" he asked politely.

"Right here," she said, pointing. "Right on the table."

The servant set them down on the table in front of the couple and backed away, bowing quickly before returning to his stance near the threshold of the room. He quietly folded his arms and tried to block the couple out. He should at very least give them some privacy to talk.

"They really are beautiful," Mai said, squeezing Zuko's shoulder. "Did you gather them yourself, or…"

"No. I picked them from the garden. I thought you might like them. They're pretty," he mumbled. He felt Mai give his shoulder another squeeze. He looked over at her face for a minute, seeing her smile at him hopefully. He didn't even try to return the smile, but his frown softened a little.

"I appreciate it," Mai told him.

Turning around, she said, "Will one of you make some tea for us?"

"What kind of tea would you prefer, my lady?" a servant asked.

Mai looked over at Zuko. "What kind would you like?" she asked him. Zuko only shrugged in response. He didn't care at all. He wasn't even thirsty. With a defeated sigh, Mai turned back around and said, "Jasmine. Leave the petals in."

"Excellent choice, madam," he said, and went into the kitchen.

Mai turned back to Zuko, and grabbed his hands. He looked over at her and she grasped his hands and pulled them into her lap. She leaned over to kiss him on the lips, quickly, before pulling away and staring into his eyes. "You smell nice," she said with a meek smile. "You smell like lavender…and…" she leaned in close to him, her nose brushing against his neck as she breathed in his scent, "…sea water."

Zuko blushed as she pressed her forehead against his.

"I, uh, I had my hair done today," he stammered.

Mai touched his hair, which was pulled up into a bun and adorned with a golden, fire-shaped crown. "It's soft," Mai said, smoothing her hand over his head. "And smells nice, too," Mai said, her lips traveling over his neck.

"Thanks," Zuko said. "You…uh…you smell nice too," he said with a sheepish smile. "Is it, like, um…perfume?"

"Yeah," Mai said. "Something like that."

Zuko nodded.

"Your tea, miss," said a servant, bringing in a platter of cups and a steaming tea pot. He set them on the table next to the flowers. Mai nodded and dismissed him with a wave of her hand; he took his place next to the other servant, standing on either side of the room's threshold.

Mai started to pour the tea, but Zuko stopped her before she could pour him a cup. "I'm not thirsty," he told her.

"You sure?" Mai asked him.

He nodded.

Mai sighed and slumped her shoulders. She set the teapot down and picked up her own cup, slowly sipping the scalding tea. She grimaced as her throat burned. "Are you sure you don't want any?" Mai asked again. "You can even put honey in it?"

Zuko shook his head, no. "I said I'm not thirsty," he snapped.

He got up from the couch and marched over to the window, throwing open the panes and leaning onto the sill. Mai slumped against the couch as she watched him. He looked so hurt, and it was just killing her inside that there was nothing she could do. She could only try to help him, but she knew that he would never take her help, or even worse, her pity.

Mai looked down into her teacup, swirling the tea around before sipping some more.

"Could we have a moment?" Zuko asked, turning around to face the servants.

"Of course, sir," they said in unison, bowing quickly before shuffling out the door.

Mai looked at him, surprised. Zuko walked back over to her and sat down on the couch, taking one of her hand in both of his. It was hot from the teacup, and her pressed a quick kiss to it.

"Zuko?" Mai whispered, hoping that he had come out of his dark mood.

"What?" he asked her.

"Are…?" she looked down at their hands, and gripped his tighter. "Are you feeling better?" she asked him quietly.

Zuko sighed and shook his head no again. "No. But I don't want to bring you down with me. Maybe I should leave."

"No, don't!" Mai told him, grabbing his hand so hard that her nails bit into his skin. "I want to have you here."

"Why?" he asked. "Why would you want me here? No one else seems to want me."

Before Mai could respond, he turned away from her, pulling his hands away. Mai's nails left scratches on his hands. He started pouring himself tea, hoping that it would soothe him. His uncle had always told him that tea was soothing for the soul…or something like that. He hoped his uncle was right.

But then again, his uncle had been right about most things.

"Zuko…"

He looked back up at her, his teacup in hand. "Yes?" he grumbled.

"Let me tell you something," she said, setting her cup down. She took his hand in both of hers, and held it on her lap. Zuko waited quietly as Mai paused, wondering what she was going to say. "Zuko," she began, "when you were gone during those three years, people missed you."

"You missed me," he said.

"Yeah. I missed you, I'll admit that. But I wasn't the only one. Before my family left for Omashu, people would talk about you—"

"Of course they did!" Zuko hissed, looking out the window.

"Let me finish!" Mai snapped at him, tugging on his hand. "People would talk about you. They would wonder when you were coming home. They would hope for you to return, safely and with the Avatar in chains. They wanted you to come home. People wanted their prince back. They would all say it, at some point or another. The Fire Nation was incomplete without its prince."

Zuko scoffed. He didn't believe a damn word she had said. "I know you're just trying to make me feel better," he grumbled. "It's not working."

"I'm telling you the truth, Zuko," Mai said. "It used to drive Azula mad. People just weren't satisfied with only having the second born still crowned."

"Really?" Zuko asked, arching an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound too likely."

Mai sighed. "I don't know what I could say to make you believe me. Just know this; I know that people all across the Fire Nation were hoping that one day you would come back."

Zuko swallowed the rest of his tea, and then began pouring himself another cup.

"Wait," Mai said, standing up, "I think my uncle might have some proof."

"Wait? What?" Zuko asked, puzzled by her statement.

Mai didn't respond. She got up off the couch and walked up the stairs, Zuko getting up and chasing after her. "Mai?" he asked, but she just kept walking up. Up and up until she made it to the top of the house, where the sunroom was located.

Mai crouched down and began digging through old boxes full of documents that had piled up along the wall. "Where is it, where is it?" she grumbled to herself as she searched through box after box of old, boring documents, only to have to fling them to the side when they came up empty.

"What are you looking for?" Zuko asked her.

"I'm looking for…" Mai began, before she dug out another box and began rifling through its contents. "This."

She straightened and walked back to Zuko, holding a rolled up scroll out to him. Zuko took it and began unrolling, looking from Mai to the letter and then back at Mai.

"Go on," Mai said, crossing her arms impatiently. "Read it."

"It's from your uncle," Zuko said.

"I know," Mai said. "He was writing a letter to the Firelord about your banishment, but Aunt Shoma told him to burn it. If he'd sent it, he'd probably have been banished with you."

Zuko sat down and began to read.

"Firelord Ozai:

"I am writing to you about the banishment of your son, Prince Zuko, First of his Name, Crowned Prince of the Fire Nation and all lands under its command.

"Your decision to banish the Prince after the Agni Kai was a poor decision, due to the fact that you will be depriving the Fire Nation of it's true and rightful heir. I do not mean to insult the Princess Azula, nor any titles she may bear, but Prince Zuko is necessary for the Fire Nation if we are to continue to make the Fire Nation the greatest nation on Earth…"

Zuko put the letter down. He couldn't read any more. He tossed the letter aside, letting it crumple on the stone floor.

"Do you feel any better?" Mai asked him.

"No," Zuko said. "I feel worse."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because…I just…I just do…" Zuko said, putting his head in his hands.

"I didn't want you to feel worse, Zuko," Mai told him, sitting down next to him. "You should feel better. My uncle wasn't the only one who…"

"Mai, please," Zuko said, "I know you're trying to help, but I just need you to stop talking. Just for a while. Please?"

Mai felt like she'd been ripped open with one of her own daggers. She looked away, blinking the pain away from her eyes, and walked over to one of the windows; she couldn't bear to look at him right now.

"I'm sorry, Mai. I didn't mean it like that."

"Whatever," she snapped.

"I deserve that," he said with a sigh.

"I'm going back downstairs," Mai told him. She didn't even bother to give him one last look, she just stomped back down, leaving him alone in the sunroom.

xoxo

Mai came back up to the sunroom an hour later, holding the flower bouquet he had brought her.

"Hey," she said softly.

Zuko looked at her, but said nothing. His scowl was gone, but he still looked unhappy. Mai set the flowers next to him on the table, and sat next to him on the seat. The letter her uncle had written was still rolled up in front of Zuko.

"I'm sorry for earlier," she said.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Zuko said.

"I know I don't. But I still feel bad about earlier," Mai said. She reached over to the vase and pulled out a single fire lily, holding it out to him. "Can we get past this? I don't want you to be ignoring me."

Zuko took the flower from her hand, but Mai put her other hand over his, keeping their hands together. Zuko looked up at her; her eyes were dark as she looked at him from beneath her bangs, but he could perfectly read them. He gave her a soft smile, trying to make the gloom disappear from her face.

"Come back downstairs with me," Mai told him. "I've got fresh tea waiting for us…and some more fruit tarts…with rose petals, even."

xoxo

Zuko leaned on the windowsill, looking out at the dark city covered by night. Mai came up next to him, still smelling of tea and roses. She put a hand on his shoulder, massaging his neck for a second before speaking.

"Zuko, it's just a dumb meeting. Who cares?"

"I don't," Zuko said.

Mai knew it was a lie, but she still said, "Well, good. You shouldn't." Zuko still wouldn't lighten up. "I mean, why would you even want to go? Just think about how things went the last meeting you went to."

Mai winced once she'd said the words. She shouldn't have brought that up. She just shouldn't have brought that up.

But Zuko only sighed. "I know," he said sadly.

"You know what will make you feel better?" Mai asked him. Zuko turned his head to look at her. She smiled and said, "Ordering some servants around! I might be hungry for a whole tray of fruit tarts!"

Still, he didn't smile.

"…And maybe a little palanquin ride around town? Double time?" she said.

When Zuko still didn't respond, she put her hand to his cheek, turning him so that he could look at her. She softly smiled, looking at him hopefully. But he pulled away from her, making Mai let go of him. Her brows furrowed, her heart dropped, and her eyes were starting to feel painful again.

She blinked and took a deep sigh.

"If you want…you can stay the night," Mai told him. "I can have the guest room made up for you. Or you can…"

She glanced at the door. There wasn't a servant in sight.

"Or you can stay in my room. If you want to. I just thought it might be a little nicer than going back to the palace." Mai paused. Zuko still didn't look at her.

With a heavy sigh, she walked away.

"The invitation still stands," she said as she began to climb the stairs.

In the end, Zuko ended up staying at Mai's place all night long. He just couldn't face anyone other than her that night.


	26. Waiting

Mai drank neem oil the next morning.

It tasted just as horrible as it smelled, but luckily it was watered down so much.

Zuko had settled himself down on the couch after breakfast had been eaten, and that's where the two stayed until noon, when the palace servants had come and gotten him, telling Zuko that his father was waiting for him at the war meeting.

With a smile, Zuko left for the palace, Mai trailing behind him.

xoxo

Ty Lee kept Mai company while she waiting for the war meeting to end.

"How long do those things usually take?" Ty Lee asked her.

"I don't know," Mai said. "Normally they can take a few hours. At least, I think that's what Azula said. I'm not sure."

"Well, what do you want to do until then?" Ty Lee asked her.

Mai shrugged. "I don't know. But I'd rather not drink tea and make small talk the entire time."

"Oh, darn," Ty Lee joked. "Is there anything else that you don't want to do?"

"My aunt asked me to stay and help collect our things for the day of the invasion. I kept telling her that no one's gonna break in and take anything, but she kept insisting that I round up everything and take it with us," Mai said.

"I hadn't even thought about that," Ty Lee said, tapping her chin.

"That's because you don't need to think about it," Mai told her. "Do you honestly think anyone's gonna stick around to vandalize things when they realized they've been duped?"

"Probably not," Ty Lee said, "but anything could happen. What if they get mad and decide to trash the place? I wouldn't put it past them."

"I would," Mai said. "I bet that when they realize they've been had, they'll turn tail and run back to the Earth Kingdom," she said with a smile and a chuckle.

"Maybe," Ty Lee said with a laugh. "So, what all are you gonna take with you?"

"I don't know," Mai said. "Probably nothing, but my aunt keeps bugging me about it. Maybe I'll take a vial of nail polish. Or a cup of tea or something. I'm not gonna bother rounding up all my jewelry and locking it away in a box and shoving it under my bed like she's doing."

"No?" Ty Lee asked.

"She's just being paranoid. But, hey, I'm not gonna try to talk her out of it," Mai said.

"You'd just be wasting your breath," Ty Lee agreed. "Speaking of wasting your breath, wanna talk about my dream last night?"

Mai sighed and rolled her eyes. "Sure. Let me hear it," Mai said.

"Well, I was standing on top of the ocean, not sinking in or anything, but just standing on top of the water. And then a turtle seal came along and he started talking to me. He had this really deep, soothing voice, and he said, 'What are you doing out here, land critter?' And I said, 'I'm not sure. I just ended up here.'"

"Fascinating," Mai said bored-ly.

"Hey, I wasn't finished," Ty Lee said, spinning around and walking backwards to face Mai. "After he and I were finished talking, he told me to climb onto his back. And I did. And you know what happened after that?"

"Watch out!"

"No that's not what happened," Ty Lee said right before she backed up into a servant. "Oh my gosh!" Ty Lee said, helping her to pick up her bundle of laundry. "I'm so so so so so sorry! These weren't clean were they?"

"Oh, no, of course not, miss," said the woman, hurriedly picking up the laundry and tossing them into her basket. "Please, I beg your pardon," she said, scampering off towards the exit.

"I told you to watch out," Mai told Ty Lee.

"Yeah. Didn't really get that," she said with a chuckle and a sheepish grin. "So anyway," Ty Lee said, grabbing Mai's hand and pulling her along with her, "after I climb onto the seal turtle's back, he dived down into the ocean and I could breathe underwater. He started swimming around in circles, and as he did he creating a whirlpool, and the water kept spinning until it opened a portal into the spirit world."

Mai grabbed Ty Lee shoulder before she could walk straight into a pillar. "Oh," Ty Lee said with a laugh. She stepped around it, Mai following her, and continued to talk.

Mai sighed when Ty Lee backed up into the wall. "Be careful, Ty Lee," she said, yanking her away from the wall. "You damage any of the royal portraits, you'll probably be roasting over a bonfire by nighttime."

"I wouldn't want that," Ty Lee said. "Did I damage any of them?"

"No. Doesn't look like it," Mai said, looking it over. No paint was smeared, nothing was broken, nothing was torn. "Looks like your ass is safe for now."

"Oh, thank goodness! I don't know what I would do without it!" Ty Lee joked. Even Mai chuckled at that. "Who is that anyway?" she asked, looking up at the portrait she'd bumped into.

"I'm not entirely sure," Mai said. "I think it was a Firelord back from the medieval period."

"Who, though?" Ty Lee asked.

"I don't know. That's what I told you," Mai said.

"Hmmm," Ty Lee hummed, tapping her chin as she thought. "Medieval Firelords…now what do I remember about them…?"

"I remember that one of them was Firelord Aarunya, one of the few Firelords to have been a woman," Mai said. "And that's pretty much the only reason I remember her."

"I remember learning about Firelord Zolin," Ty Lee said, "and that's only because everyone kept calling him an usurper."

"They also said he had a hunched back and killed his wife," Mai said. "I doubt you'll find his portrait hanging up here. They probably burned it a long, long time ago."

"Yeah, probably," Ty Lee agreed. "Okay, how about that one," she said, pointing to the next portrait over. "Do you recognize them?"

"No. Do you?"

"Well, they look familiar…" Ty Lee said, scanning the picture carefully. "He's got a stick on incense in one hand, and a snake in the other. I think I remember something about a Firelord with a snake…"

"Firelord Mayehua!" Mai said. "I remember him now. He was one of the few Firelords who died in battle. They say he sacrificed himself for the good of his nation, eventually leading to his troops victory over the Nessa Islands."

"Oh yeah!" Ty Lee said. "No wonder I couldn't remember him."

"Why is that?" Mai asked.

"Because I can't remember any of these people. Well, except for Zolin. And that's only because I had to take the quiz twice," she said. "Come, let's try another Firelord," Ty Lee said, dragging Mai along by the arm. "Who's that one?"

"Firelord…" Mai sighed. "Firelord I-Don't-Know."

"Who names their child I-Don't-Know?" Ty Lee asked.

Mai chuckled. "Someone with a twisted sense of humor, that's who."

"Okay, but seriously, though. Who is he?" Ty Lee asked, pointing at him. "He's got a beard, he's bending fire, he's got a lotus flower at his feet… Any of this ring a bell?" she asked Mai.

Mai shook her head no.

"Well, do you have any guesses, at least?" Ty Lee asked.

Mai shook her head no. "Do you?" Mai asked her.

Ty Lee shook her head no. "Okay, what about her?" she asked Mai, moving down the hallway.

"Firelord…Firelord Sola?" Mai guessed.

"Sola?" Ty Lee repeated. "Huh. I would have guessed Firelord Zhangsun." She turned to Mai and shrugged her arms. "I guess we'll never know?"

"We might one day. After all, they should have their names written on here somewhere…"

"I can't find them anywhere," Ty Lee said, scanning the painting again. Nothing that even remotely resembled writing. With a sigh and a smile, she turned back to Mai and continued to drag her along the hallway. "Well, anyway, back to my dream…"

"I don't want to hear about your dream," Mai said.

"But Mai," Ty Lee pouted, "it gets so interesting. After the turtle seal opens a portal to the spirit world, we dive into it and this giant praying mantis tries to eat us! And when it doesn't, it starts reciting poetry, lamenting over it's lost meal, before deciding to rip off one of it's own legs and eats that instead."

"Because autocannibalism always makes for pleasant dreams, Mai snarked.

"It may not have been pleasant, but it was interesting," Ty Lee shot back. "You know, interest? Something you say your life doesn't have enough of?"

"Because, whenever I'm bored, I think, 'You know what would really liven up a party? Autocannibalism!'" Mai said.

"Don't knock it 'til you try it!" Ty Lee said. They both laughed.

They stopped laughing when they heard something echoing throughout the hallway.

"What was that?" Ty Lee asked.

"I think the meeting may be adjourned," Mai said, rushing over to go see.

She stopped just short of entering the hallway to the throne room. She felt so small staring up at it. Even that small red curtain over the entrance looked too intimidating. She took a deep breath, and stepped closer.

"Mai?" Ty Lee said, stopping right behind her. "Are you sure you want to get too close? I mean…that the throne room!" she whispered.

"I'm not going to go in…I'm just gonna…wait right here," Mai said, stopping at one of the pillars. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Just being this close to the throne room was making her nervous. She looked back at Ty Lee and gave her what she hoped was a convincing smile. "You can wait here with me. You know…for Azula."

"I don't know…" Ty Lee said, looking down the hallway towards the entrance. "It's…scary…being so close."

Mai nodded. "Yeah, it really is," she whispered.

"I'm gonna go," Ty Lee said nervously, already backing away. "I…I don't like this place." With that, she turned and skittered away.

Mai waited and waited and waited, forcing herself to breathe normally.

When the first few generals exited the throne room, no one paid her any mind. She started to relax when people kept passing her by. No one even bothered to give her a sidelong glance.

Finally, Zuko came out of the throne room, looking down at the floor as he walked. She pushed herself off of the pillar, walking along with him.

"So, how did it go?" she asked him.

"When I got to the meeting, everyone welcomed me. My father had saved me a seat. He wanted to next to him." He paused, looking up at the portrait of Firelord Ozai, larger than life right in front of them. "I was literally at his right hand."

"Zuko, that's wonderful!" Mai said. "You must be happy!"

Zuko gazed up at the portrait of his father, unable to see it the same way. He'd never be able to look at his father the same way again. "During the meeting," he said, "I was the perfect prince. The son my father wanted." He tore his eyes away from the picture, looking down at his feet and closing his eyes. "But I wasn't me."

Mai put a hand on his arm.

"So you're disappointed?" she asked him.

"No…yes…maybe…I don't know," Zuko said, shaking his head. "All I know is that…" he paused, and took a deep breath. Mai waited for him to continue. Her brows knitted the longer he waited to speak.

"All you know is what?" Mai asked him.

"All I know is that war meetings are awful," he said, and walked away from the portrait.

Mai decided to follow him, looping his arm around his. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked him.

"No," he said. "I'm…not in the mood to talk."

"Why not?" Mai asked. "Haven't you been waiting your whole life to finally be invited to a war meeting?"

"Yes. But it's…not what I was expecting. I wasn't expecting to come out of it feeling so empty inside. Or feeling so conflicted," Zuko said. He stopped walking, and looked her in the eye. "I don't feel like myself anymore." He paused, and looked out at the sky. "Of all the mistakes I've made…" he whispered.

"Zuko?" Mai asked.

He gave her one last look, kissed her, and then began walking away.

Little did Mai know that that was the last time she would see him before the war ended.


	27. The Letter

Dear Mai,

I'm sorry that you have to find out this way, but I'm leaving.

Attending my father's war meeting opened my eyes, and I realized that I could not live this lie. I've come to realize that it wasn't me who needed honor, it's the Fire Nation. I've decided to join to Avatar, and help him defeat my father.

I wish that I could have seen you one last time, so that I could have told you everything in person. I hope that you understand. If we ever see each other again, please forgive me.

And for your safety, and your family's, don't show this letter to anyone. If you're captured, say you know nothing. Burn this letter if you need to, and show no one.

I love you, and I'll always love you, but I must do this.

Just as I love you, I love my nation, too.

Love, Zuko


	28. After the Eclipse

Mai's knees buckled after she had finished reading the letter. She collapsed on the ground, holding the paper clenched in her hand. She pushed her face into her hand, trying to push the pain away, trying to breathe, but she couldn't stop the sobs that were being torn from her throat.

She put her head into the sheets of her bed, hoping it would muffle the sound.

He was gone. He'd left her.

He'd not only betrayed her, but his entire country.

She squeezed her eyes shut as hot tears slid down her cheeks, and bit the back of her hand as she gasped for breath. As she gasped, her chest hurt even worse. If felt like a hole had been cut through it, and that her heart had been ripped out, stolen, and then crushed beneath her heel.

No. No. No.

This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't be. This was all a bad dream and she was going to wake up any minute. She would wake up and there would be Zuko right next to her, the crowned prince of the Fire Nation, heir to the throne, honored war hero and venerated veteran.

But the longer she sat by the bed crying, his letter crumpled up in her hand, the more she realized that this was reality. He was gone and this had happened and there was no way of going back.

She should have seen this coming. Zuko had never been happy being back home. He was always brooding, always dropping cryptic hints, always talking about his family and the Fire Nation like they were completely alien to him. How stupid she'd been! She should have realized that something was wrong! But no. She was too busy being some stupid, foolish girl head-over-heels in love with the prince to notice what was happening.

Life had finally touched her.

Ba Sing Se hadn't done it. Azula hadn't done it. The war so far hadn't done it. This had. Life had touched her and she'd seen just how dark life could be; just how much emotion had been held inside of her, waiting to break free.

Her throat was raw as she screamed into the mattress. Life had touched her and she could never relive her days as a child. Now she was grown, and she knew now just what was going to happen. If nothing else, Zuko had given her a new perspective; that there were worse things in life than boredom.

She was the ex-girlfriend of a traitor, and now she and her whole family were at risk. And not only that, but she was left heartbroken and confused.

xoxo

Aunt Shoma had told her to hide the note somewhere where no one could ever see it. Her uncle had come back from his post at the Boiling Rock to help her cope, and to help her prepare for her meeting with the Firelord.

Every part of Mai's body was trembling as she walked down the long corridor, each step taking her closer to the throne room. She steeled her face and straightened her shoulders, trying to be brave. She told herself that nothing bad was going to happen to her or to anyone else. The Firelord was just going to ask her what she knew about Zuko and his plans, and that was that. When she said that she didn't know, that Zuko had never told her anything, he would dismiss her with a wave of his hand and send her back to her house so she could mourn alone.

With a deep breath, Mai pushed the curtain aside and stepped into the throne room, head bowed.

She walked twenty paces forward, just as her aunt and uncle had instructed her to, and then sat on the floor, bowing low to the ground as the Firelord sat before her.

The firelight made everything seem more ominous. The Firelord didn't seem human; he seemed more like a vengeful god, looking to devour her, looking to burn her alive and make her suffer for just daring to have bowed to him. But still, Mai made sure that her fear didn't show.

She glanced up quickly to see Princess Azula at Firelord Ozai's right hand, sitting stone still, looking just as ominous and vengeful as her father did.

"Lady Mai," Firelord Ozai said.

His voice made her blood run cold and sent chills up and down her spine. She forced herself to breathe slowly, evenly, and kept her stare glued to the floor in front of her.

"Your majesty, Firelord Ozai," Mai replied, touching her forehead with one hand and then bowing low again. "You summoned for me."

"Yes, I did. You were my son's closest friend, and his beloved. You knew him better than anyone in this room knew him. Better than even I did."

Ozai's voice made the blood slither away from her face and her knees were weak. But so far, he hadn't spoke of punishment or banishment yet. Mai hoped—hoped beyond anything—that Firelord Ozai wouldn't take his aggression out on her or her family. Those were her only two thoughts: no repercussions for either of them.

"Tell me, Lady Mai, what did my treasonous son say to you before he left?" the Firelord asked.

"He only said that he would see me tomorrow, Great Firelord," Mai said. "He said nothing about leaving."

"Is that so?" Ozai asked. "Then you have no idea where he went or why he left?"

"None, Great Firelord," Mai said.

"I see. So you knew nothing about his intentions?"

"No, Great Firelord," Mai said.

"Tell me something, Lady Mai. Why do I have a hard time believing you?" the Firelord said, stroking his beard. His eyes were cold and hard, as cruel and sharp as bloody knives. Mai only bowed her head lower.

"I am telling you all I know, Great Firelord," Mai said. "Zuko and I never talked about anything warranting the attentions of a great and noble Firelord."

"I believe I will be the judge of that," the Firelord said. Ozai glanced at his daughter before saying, "arise, Lady Mai. I want to see your eyes. I'll be able to know if you're lying that way."

Mai slowly sat back on her knees, raising her eyes to look at him. Her entire body felt cold, despite the heat of the fires burning all around her. She blinked once, trying not to cry. She knew she wasn't going to beg him to spare her, but she was still scared of what he might do.

"Tell me again; you knew nothing of my son's intentions on betraying his country?" the Firelord asked.

"I knew nothing of Prince Zuko's plans, Great Firelord. He never said anything to me," Mai said. Her voice was calm and steady. Her uncle had taught her well.

"And you don't know where he might be?" the Firelord asked.

"I know nothing of his location, Great Firelord," Mai said.

"Hmm." Firelord Ozai stroked his beard, thinking. She had answered all his questions without her voice wavering or her eyes darting away. By all means, she had to be telling the truth. But he wasn't entirely sure. The rumors about his son and this girl had reached even his ears, only once, and if they were true then she had to know more than she was letting on.

"If I may say something, father, Mai is a loyal citizen of the Fire Nation and a devout believer in our cause. She was by my side when we conquered Ba Sing Se and when we reclaimed the City of New Ozai in your name," Azula said.

Mai had never been so happy to be Azula's friend.

"So you say. But if I remember correctly, you also told me that Zuko killed the Avatar. Not only did Zuko not defeat the Avatar, but the Avatar wasn't even dead! Why should I trust you after you lied to me about that?!" Ozai asked her.

Azula looked stunned. She glanced at Mai, who quickly looked back at the ground, and then back at her father.

"I…" Azula tried to say.

"Silence!" the Firelord told her, and turned his attention back to Mai. "You have quite an alibi attesting to your loyalty, Lady Mai, but I am still dubious as to your honesty."

He was silent for a long time as he looked at Mai, wondering what to do with her, repeating her words over and over in his head, looking for any kind of chink in the armor. Finally, he concluded that Mai was of no use. She was just as ignorant as he was as to his son's whereabouts, and she wasn't guilty about concealing anything…not yet.

"Lady Mai," the Firelord said, making her sit up and look at him. "I am not going to torture you for information. I believe your words and your innocence. Nor am I going to punish your family. After listening to you, I can see that you are guilty of no wrongdoings. You may leave."

Mai bowed low again. "Thank you, your majesty," Mai said.

But before she could stand up and leave, Ozai said, "However, there is one thing I want to make clear. If my son attempts to contact you, or you hear anything about him, you are to contact me immediately and tell me everything you have learned of him, on pain of death. Understand?"

"I understand, your majesty," Mai said.

As she stood, she caught eyes with Azula very briefly before turning and walking away. It took all her willpower to keep her from running out of the throne room, out from the palace, and back to her own bedroom where she knew she was safe.

Stupid Zuko. Why did he have to do this to her?

At the very least, her family was safe.

xoxo

"Oh! NO!" Shoma screamed, dropping her teacup.

Mai and her uncle rushed into the main room, asking her what was wrong and what had happened. Shoma held the letter out to them as she cried into her hand.

"It's Michi and Ukano. On the day of the eclipse, former King Bumi escaped from his cell and reconquered the city in his name. Not everyone was able to escape. Your parents are still in New Ozai, Mai, and no one's heard from them since," her uncle told her.

Mai nearly collapsed.

Her uncle caught her in his arms and helped her onto the couch. She put a hand to her mouth and stared at the floor, trying to let the news sink in. King Bumi had escaped and now her parents were captive in Omashu?

No. That…that just couldn't be.

"Shh, shh," her uncle said, rubbing Mai's arm. She hadn't noticed she'd been crying until her aunt wiped a tear away from her cheek. "It's okay, honey, I'm sure they're fine. Michi is strong and stubborn; I know she won't let anything happen to her or Ukano," he told her.

"There was nothing in the note that suggested that," Shoma added, trying to convince herself as well as Mai. "They might not even still be in New Ozai. The letter was written days ago. Things may have changed since then."

Shoma met her husband's eyes, and he could see that she didn't believe what she was saying. He knit his brows and rubbed Mai's back.

"Now, now," he said to both of them. "Nothing bad will happen to them. I promise you that. And if someone tries anything, then I'll go over there myself and bust them out. Michi and her husband will be back here within hours, safe and sound."

Mai and Shoma looked at him, their eyes still watery.

"I promise you both, things are going to work out. Not even the Firelord himself could stop me from helping my family," he said.

Mai and Shoma both smiled and threw themselves into his arms. He held them tightly, trying to console them as best as he could. Mai hugged him as tight as she could. How had her life gone from being so perfect to so horrible in just a single day? Now she knew why eclipses were always considered bad luck.

The prince was gone, rumors had spread, her family was trapped, she was under investigation by the Firelord, and she had nothing to grab onto except her uncle's hollow promise that nothing bad was going to happen.

When had her life turned so rotten?

xoxo

It was only a day after her uncle had returned to the Boiling Rock when her aunt burst in, saying that he had written a letter to her.

"What does it say?" Aunt Shoma asked, watching Mai closely.

Mai gasped, and Shoma put her hands out, wondering if Mai was going to collapse on the ground again. "Mai?" she asked worriedly.

"It's…it's Zuko," she whispered.

"Zuko?" her Aunt Shoma whispered, glancing around the room to make sure no one was listening. "Aren't you supposed to report him to the Firelord?"

"My uncle was supposed to do the same, but he didn't," Mai said. "He wrote to me first. But…why…?" Mai whispered to herself. But she already knew. Her uncle had said that his family was more important than any Firelord could ever be. His niece needed closure with that boy, and here was her chance.

"I'm going to the Boiling Rock," she told her Aunt Shoma.

Tears streaked down Shoma's eyes. "Are you sure?" she asked, putting a hand on Mai's cheek. "Mai, this could be dangerous. Not only is the Boiling Rock a prison, but if anyone were to find out that you had gone after him—"

"I'm going, Aunt Shoma," Mai said again. "I need closure. I need to see him again. Don't try to stop me."

Shoma sighed and shook her head. "I won't try to stop you, Mai. I know you too well. But please, be safe, and come right back when you're done. I don't want anything bad to happen to you. I don't know what I'd do without you." With a sob, Shoma threw her arms around Mai, and Mai squeezed her aunt tightly.

"I'll come back in one piece," Mai said, crying into her aunt's shoulder. "I promise."

xoxo

Only hours after Mai had left, Azula and Ty Lee came knocking at Shoma's door.

"Princess Azula, Lady Ty Lee," Shoma said, politely bowing her head to the two of them. "Please, come in. Make yourselves at home. I will have a servant put on tea for you."

"There's no need to go through the trouble," Azula assured her. "I only came looking for Mai."

"Mai?" Shoma said. "I'm sorry, but she's not here."

"Oh?" Azula asked, arching an eyebrow at her. "Then where exactly has she gone."

Before Shoma could make up a good enough excuse, Azula said, "You should know, Lady Shoma, that I'll be able to tell whether or not you're lying."


	29. Epilogue

"Prince Zuko is this way, Lady Mai."

"Thank you, Avi," Mai said as she pushed the curtain aside.

"My pleasure, Lady Mai," said Avi, bowing politely.

Lady Mai. It had been a long time since she'd been called that. In prison, she'd been called rich girl, brat, fire brat, a bitch, and even the prince's slut. Whenever she was called that, she would punch them straight in the mouth, or try to choke them, but the prison guards had always intervened before too much damage was done.

She took a deep breath, wondering what she was going to say to Zuko.

Where would she even begin?

That she was no longer mad at him for leaving her for the Avatar? That she could now understand what he was saying about the Fire Nation's honor and that the war was unjustified? That she had made friends out of supposed enemies and could finally begin to understand what he had gone through? That she had seen the war through the eyes of a commoner, an Earth Kingdom citizen, and a rebellion who had opposed Fire Nation tyranny?

Mai had so much to tell him and so much to apologize for and so much that still needed to be said between them since their last fight, but when she finally saw him, half-naked and covered in bandages, struggling to put his robe on, the only thing she could think to say was, "You need some help with that?"

"Mai!" Zuko's face lit up when he saw her. "You're okay!" He went over and hugged her, pulling her into him despite the slight pain in his chest. Mai wrapped her arms around him, not realizing how much she had missed him.

"They let you out of prison?" he asked her.

"My uncle pulled some strings," she replied. "And it doesn't hurt when the new Firelord is your boyfriend," she said with a wide smile.

"So does this mean you don't hate me anymore?" Zuko asked hopefully as Mai helped him into his robe.

As Mai tied his robe around him, she blushed and looked away, saying, "I think it means that I actually…kind of…like you."

Zuko smiled and pulled her into a kiss. Mai wrapped her arms around him. Spirits, she had missed him so much. Mai's hands slid up to his hair, her palms flat against the nape of his neck. When they broke apart, Mai gazed at him for a minute, starry-eyed and smiling, before turning serious.

"But don't ever break up with me again!" she said, jabbing him with her finger. He smiled at her nervously before hugging her again.

A silence settled over them as they hugged. Zuko gently rocked them back and forth, resting his head on top of Mai's. "I missed you," he whispered, "so much."

"I missed you, too" Mai said. "I'm just glad I got to see you again."

"Did you think I wouldn't come back?" Zuko whispered.

"I wasn't sure," Mai said. "I had no idea what you were getting yourself into. But now…I think I understand."

"You do?" Zuko asked her.

"Yes. When I was in prison…the prison that my uncle had me transferred to…I got to talk to a lot of people. Mostly Earth Kingdom people. Some of them were Fire Nation, but not a lot. They…they talked to me…and I finally began to understand. What you were saying…about the Fire Nation…and about the war…"

"I'm glad," Zuko said. "It took me a long time to understand it, too."

"Prince Zuko," said Avi, the royal robes in his hand. "Are you ready for your coronation, sir?"

"Not yet," Zuko said. "I still need to get dressed."

"I'll help with that," Mai said, her blush turning a deep red. "Avi, leave those clothes on the table…please."

Avi set the clothes down, bowed to them, and took his leave.

As Mai dressed him, carefully pulling his clothes over his fresh scar and tying his hair up in a bun, Zuko asked her, "Now that you're free to make your own choices…did you want to…."

Mai waited patiently for him to continue. His golden eyes met hers, and she smiled, knowing what he was trying to ask.

"Did you want to…live with me…?" he asked her, blushing and looking down at the floor.

"I prefer it," Mai said. After tying the sash around his waist, Mai blushed and stammered, "I…uh…I should go get a good seat for the coronation. I wasn't at the last one."

Zuko gave her a contented smile.

"And Zuko," Mai said, right before walking away, "you're going to be a great Firelord."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End


End file.
